Pasta and Death Cabs

Somehow recognising the important link between cooking and music, we recently moved my hifi equipment to the kitchen. I think this was mainly for aesthetic reasons (too damn big and ugly for the front room) but it suits me just fine - all CDs there are waiting while stuff happens on the stove. Yes, I still really, really like CDs and can't really see a day where I'll be entirely mp3. I could go on, but I won't (for now).



Suffice it to say that tonight was a mix of a new recipe and an album I've been listening to for about a year now (but which came out ages ago - as ever, I'm late to the party in my musical tastes...).

Last year we went to Australia to see friends, hang out and go to a wedding. We were staying with folks in Melbourne, and when we got there (hazy from the flights) they had a music TV channel playing. I remember being completely captivated by a video of Death Cab For Cutie doing 'I Will Possess Your Heart'. Absolute genius - and I'm a sucker for a really long track with not too many vocals...

So anyway, I got the album, and had a listen tonight while doing stuff with pasta. This is a goodie, especially when you're none too sure what to do with a whole savoy cabbage... Fry up about 10 slices of bacon or pancetta if you're feeling flush, then toss in a handful of thyme leaves (thyme freezes really well by the way) and a clove of garlic. Once that's a nice colour add an entire cabbage (quartered, cored, and thinly sliced, of course..) and a generous handful of grated Parmeggiano. Let it cook for about 10 minutes ideally with the lid on, while you cook farfalle in another pan. Once that's ready, drain and toss with the cabbage. Oh, and toast some pine nuts separately. Just when you're about to serve, throw in two mozzarella (about 200g) chopped into small dice and the pine nuts.

Very simple, and I only got 7 tracks into DCFC's Narrow Stairs. The other really stand out track is 'Cath', which apparently is loosely based on Wuthering Heights. It's really simple, but I love the segue from the previous song into the beginning of this one. Very special.

Enjoy the pasta.