As a vegetarian, pasta has always run the risk of being bland. I love tomatoes, I really do, but when I go to a restaurant I become so disappointed at the blandness of the classic Arrabiata, Napolitan, Sicillian and the beautiful Aglio Olio.  It is my quest to perfect these recipes, and I have found the best Napolitan to be made in a Hotel called the Grand Inna in Bali. It’s so yum. This is the closest that I’ve gotten so far. I have almost perfected the recipe for the Aglio Olio, but thats to come another day. The Arrabiata though always assumed to be the Napolitan + Chilli, doesn’t have to be. The Arrabiata is different and contains it’s own texture and taste.  However, contrary to all pastas, there is a secret ingredient that I always add. My father has a trick of trade that he won’t allow me to share with you. So I won’t. But here’s mine. It’s all in the cheese. I like using Edam cheese to place into my pasta sauce. It turns the pasta into gold and is lighter than cream! NAPOLITAN GOODNESS Ingredients:  -3 spoons of butter (or less whatever floats your boat) - 2 or 3 Vine or Roma Tomatoes (Chopped) - 3 Garlic Cloves (finely chopped) - Pinch of Salt - Ground Pepper - Edam Cheese (As much as you want)  - Handful of Olives little or no water (Kalamata chopped or spanish olives chopped- I like spanish olives) - Few Sprigs of Parsley (opt) - TINY VERY TINY BIT OF ROSEMARY (opt) - Parmesan Whichever type Pasta turns you on (for me it’s Spaghetti) 1. Place Pasta into pot of boiling water (the boiling water should have some salt in it and a bay leaf if you like to be ott.) Wait till it’s al dente, or softer and strain it out, leaving just a tiny bit of it’s starchy water in the pot. 2. With a different pan/pot or whatever piece of crockery you prefer, place the butter in and let it melt. 3. Once melted add garlic and cook till almost brown. 4. add the tomatoes and wait till they become watery 5. Add all the herbs and spices (and keep some of the parsley if you really are into garnishing) 6. Add the Olives on low heat and mix well 7.Add the starch water 8. Mix in the cheese and let it melt before folding it into the sauce.  9. Voila place the sauce onto the Pasta, dump parmesan (watch it melt) and add parsley to garnish!  Enjoy!

As a vegetarian, pasta has always run the risk of being bland. I love tomatoes, I really do, but when I go to a restaurant I become so disappointed at the blandness of the classic Arrabiata, Napolitan, Sicillian and the beautiful Aglio Olio. 

It is my quest to perfect these recipes, and I have found the best Napolitan to be made in a Hotel called the Grand Inna in Bali. It’s so yum. This is the closest that I’ve gotten so far. I have almost perfected the recipe for the Aglio Olio, but thats to come another day. The Arrabiata though always assumed to be the Napolitan + Chilli, doesn’t have to be. The Arrabiata is different and contains it’s own texture and taste. 

However, contrary to all pastas, there is a secret ingredient that I always add. My father has a trick of trade that he won’t allow me to share with you. So I won’t. But here’s mine. It’s all in the cheese. I like using Edam cheese to place into my pasta sauce. It turns the pasta into gold and is lighter than cream!

NAPOLITAN GOODNESS

Ingredients: 

-3 spoons of butter (or less whatever floats your boat)

- 2 or 3 Vine or Roma Tomatoes (Chopped)

- 3 Garlic Cloves (finely chopped)

- Pinch of Salt

- Ground Pepper

- Edam Cheese (As much as you want) 

- Handful of Olives little or no water (Kalamata chopped or spanish olives chopped- I like spanish olives)

- Few Sprigs of Parsley (opt)

- TINY VERY TINY BIT OF ROSEMARY (opt)

- Parmesan

Whichever type Pasta turns you on (for me it’s Spaghetti)

1. Place Pasta into pot of boiling water (the boiling water should have some salt in it and a bay leaf if you like to be ott.) Wait till it’s al dente, or softer and strain it out, leaving just a tiny bit of it’s starchy water in the pot.

2. With a different pan/pot or whatever piece of crockery you prefer, place the butter in and let it melt.

3. Once melted add garlic and cook till almost brown.

4. add the tomatoes and wait till they become watery

5. Add all the herbs and spices (and keep some of the parsley if you really are into garnishing)

6. Add the Olives on low heat and mix well

7.Add the starch water

8. Mix in the cheese and let it melt before folding it into the sauce. 

9. Voila place the sauce onto the Pasta, dump parmesan (watch it melt) and add parsley to garnish!

 Enjoy!