I thought you might enjoy some cooking content this week, particularly as, post Pizza Bracket Life, I’ve been enjoying making some meals for dinner at home these days. I recently ordered the new New York Times Cooking book from Sam Sifton: “No Recipe Recipes.” (Jump to the recipe)

I’d seen Sam write his “no recipe recipes” week after week in his great email newsletter. They’re sort of easy weeknight riffs that are simple enough to not even require measuring. They’re flexible enough that you can substitute at will (I did in this dish, for sure) and you’ll still end up with something that’s delicious and satisfying. 

I took a gander at his “Pasta with Garbanzos and a Negroni” and thought it seemed super fun: a cocktail and dinner in one lineup of simple ingredients. I didn’t have garbanzos, so I substituted a can of white beans. Sam recommends orchiette, but I only had other pasta shapes, and what I had worked fine. Highly recommend using up some of those canned tomatoes you bought during Covid winter for this one, because the flavors are quick, simple and great. 

Matthew’s favorite cocktail is a Negroni, so we always have the three straightforward ingredients at hand, and it turns out they paired fine with Sam’s spicy but simple pasta. Alongside the last two slices of my homemade spicy olive bread, we had little to complain about, particularly on a rainy Wednesday.