Birthdays

My son's birthday was this past weekend. In our family the tradition is I cook the desired menu of the birthday person. My son's choice: fusilli a la napoletana, which translates into very long twisty pasta slathered with a sauce made of carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes then coated with mozzarella.

To start? A couple of quick mouthfuls, the oven-toasted gorgonzola slathered bread was particularly successful.

To finish? Cake, of course, chocolate with chocolate frosting. Happily, the grandmama makes this. She uses two cans of frosting, so everyone leaves fat, full and happy.

You will need:
One pound pasta
One onion, carrot, stalk of celery, diced.
2 ounces or more of pancetta or bacon
1/2 cup white wine
4 tomatoes or 1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes
1/2 pound mozzarella, cubed or grated
Parmesan for the table.



Coat a saute pan with olive oil, add the bacon and vegetables cooking until tender. Add the wine, and reduce on high heat. Add the tomatoes and simmer until cooked through. For canned tomatoes I like to cover the pan and reduce the heat, simmering a bit longer than fresh.

When the pasta's boiled and ready, pour on the sauce, add the cheese and mix thoroughly.

My son's a real man now, and by that I mean that he's old enough to be disappointed by what his family bought for him. (My daughter grew up much earlier). At least dinner lived up to his expectations--he went back for seconds and thirds.

Birthday meal traditions, anyone?