One of the most notable things I learned from my father is the “make it up as you go along, hope for the best, and never write anything down” cooking method. It’s always a gamble, but it’s always interesting, and sometimes it’s really good. I got some nice cookbooks for wedding gifts, but to tell you the truth, I use them more for recreational reading (because I enjoy thinking about food) than for actual step-by-step cooking instructions.

The one exception to this is baking, because it’s very scientific. I made a peach pie last weekend that turned out really well. The crust was so flaky. I credit the nice Kitchen Aid food processor I used to make the dough (also a wedding gift. Getting married rules and I highly recommend it).

Anyway, we still hadn’t made a serious grocery run since before the wedding, so tonight’s dinner was yet another permutation of one of my signature dishes, “Pasta a la Whatever’s Around.” It turned out really well tonight. Denny said I should write it down, and even though it goes against the spirit of experimentation, it couldn’t hurt to have a record, I suppose. Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish.

• 8 oz linguine, spaghetti, fettucine, or other pasta
• several large or many small tomatoes, straight from the garden (quarter the big ones, halve the small ones)
• a handful of fresh basil, also straight from the garden
• 1 tsp oregano (fresh would be better, but all I had was dried)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 chorizo unit (about 4″; I used Mexican chorizo, but any other sausage would work here too, or ground beef/turkey/pork, or even veggie crumbles)
• salt and freshly-ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• half a cup or so red wine
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• for garnish: parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, a couple of basil leaves

1. Remove the sausage from the casing, if necessary. Brown it on the stove. Drain the fat.
2. Saute the onion in a little olive oil. When it’s almost translucent, add the garlic and saute that for a little while.
3. Add the tomato. Simmer, covered, over medium-low heat, until the tomato is smooshy.
4. Add the basil (minced or chiffonaded, your call), oregano, wine, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and sugar. Stir it all together. Let the alcohol in the wine burn off by cooking uncovered for a few minutes. You may want to temporarily up the heat a little to get it bubbling.
5. If you were more ambitious than me, you would have blanched and skinned the tomatoes before you even started this project. Since you are not more ambitious than me, spend a few minutes picking tomato skins out of the sauce. It’s not that hard.
6. Stir in the sausage and let it simmer over low heat for as long as you like (more than 5 minutes, less than 3 days).
7. When Denny gets inside from mowing the lawn, boil plenty of water and cook the linguine.
8. Toss the sauce with the linguine. Scoop into bowls (bowls are more fun than plates, don’t you agree?). Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and parmesan. Stick a couple of basil leaves in the top to be adorable.

The next thing I want to make with our garden tomatoes is tomato mint soup.