Mozza & an inspired pasta recipe


Courtship etiquette today seems to demand the offer of a meal by the male as part of foreplay and a male manly attractiveness is deemed by his willingness to pick up the tab. (Some modern cynic defined a contemporary "moral dilemma" as whether or not a pizza counts). But this was MOZZA.


The choice of setting for food and courtship is as important as the food itself. Mozza had all the right vibe, setting and mood for dates. The food was awesome and service immaculate. The nine pm table wait was worth the while. Upon arriving, the hostess took us to this row of tables for twos. When we were sited, I notice something and a thought came to my mind.
There was this Japanese couple on my left. She was pretty, her long hair was perfectly set in soft loose waves, all dolled up in a tight dinner dress that reviews the right amount of skin. Just like those models in CanCan magazine. Accompanying her was this gentlemen with slender but muscular body with that kind of swankiness, strong jawline and untidy black hair that was loosely scrunched up. They were immersed, flattering each other with constant laughs and giggles. Engaged in a world of each other.  


On my right was this couple who just entered parenthood. Mom and Dad with two little toddlers. Mom doesn't bother putting on some makeup. She wore her hair loosely too just like the Japanese lady but in a unkept manner. Dad dressed as all other dads, in T-shirt and burms. Mom sipping a scarlet red mocktail while dad a beer. Their manners, speech, and behavior can be assessed. The kids giggled happily away, yet the adults looked dull dining together. 

There we were sitting in the middle table. For a moment, it got me thinking. A year ago, we were just like the "before" where every date was all very special. Each time we dine out it felt like celebration of us. The kind of dinner dates where everything collides to make it special. I felt something is somehow a missed recently. When did we slip into this "middle" phrase or was it because the last few month was kind of rocky for both of us?  Will the right be the inevitable dreaded "future"? 

When we left Mozza, I knew we will be alright, it's just one of those phrases that we are in now, like the greyish sky after a storm, clearing up. I knew because he still held my hand as tightly as before. 

Tortiglioni with tomatoes, chorizos, spinach and ricotta. This quick pasta was inspired from the book Molto Italiano by Mario Batali. A souvenir MF bought me from the dinner at Mozza. It's a celebration of quality ingredients done fresh and simple. Just how love suppose to be. Uncomplicated.

Ingredients

Tortiglioni pasta or any tubular pasta (penne, fusilli
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2-3 sun dried tomatoes 
1 chorizo, remove outer skin and chopped
3-4 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoon ricotta cheese, crumbled
Handful of fresh basil chopped
Handful of fresh mint, chopped
Handful of baby spinach 
¼ cup white wine
Extra virgin olive oil

Method
In a pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package. Drain and set aside.

In a pan, add a few lugs of extra virgin oil, sautéed the chorizo, sun dried tomatoes and garlic for a couple of minutes, add the cherry tomatoes and cook until softened.  Pour the wine and let it simmer for a minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta and toss until the sauce coats the pasta. turn off the heat and toss the herbs and spinach until barely wilted. Serve on plate and crumble the ricotta cheese with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

-till next post, ss.

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