Butterflies in my stomach

Image © unaformichinaincucina.blogspot.it

My guests just left. There are red wine rings all over the wooden Ikea table and the house still smells like sautéed onions and snuffed candles. Tom Waits is growling a ballad in the background, and I'm putting off doing the dishes 'til tomorrow.

Cooking in this little kitchen is like juggling in a phone booth. I've managed to make a complete mess, but I'll deal with it in daylight, not now. Now I just want to wind down, write a little and read a few pages of my book before slipping into Morpheus' arms.

Friends showed up early in order to hang out with E. before his bedtime, and kept me company while I cooked dinner for them. We dished and laughed and simply enjoying each other's company, unbuttoning inhibitions and restraining garments as our tummies filled, pledging our reciprocal affection as the wine flowed in our goblets. We ate like sharks and solemnly vowed to make it a weekly appointment. Our different stories, generations, backgrounds and nationalities made the conversation simmer with variety and sexy accents.

Before dozing off to the light chatter of our conversation, E. bounced on 4 different sets of knees and even got to taste this evening's Barolo, the lucky little brat. His snoring is louder than usual, I wonder if the nip of wine he got has anything to do with it.

500 g (1.1 lb) Farfalle type pasta
1 bunch of radicchio Trevigiano (the more tapered head), trimmed and cut into thin slivers
150 g (3/4 of a cup) Caprino or any mild goat cheese
2 shallots, finely sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
150 ml (3/4 of a cup) beer
2 tbsp milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sauté the shallots in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until translucent. Add the radicchio and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer over a mild flame for a few minutes, wetting with the beer. Let the beer evaporate, add the crumbled cheese and stir in the milk gradually.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil, cook the farfalle al dente (springy yet opposing somewhat of a bite), drain and add them to the sauce. Toss well to blend flavors and coat the pasta, adjust seasoning and drizzle with a wee bit more olive oil.
Buon appetito, ragazze.