Greetings, dear readers!

Amid unseasonal heat and thunderstorms, the mid-week adventure today was another romp of the culinary variety.

Did you know that beautiful pasta can be made with just two ingredients? I’m not sure I’ve made it yet, but I did thoroughly enjoy the attempt. There is pure magic in taking a mound of flour, creating the circular well in it, and then dropping in two eggs to be slowly imbued with the flour until it melds together in a thick paste, and then you push the remaining flour into the mass until it becomes a pliant yellow ball. And then you push, and turn, push and turn, working the dough until it is smooth and resilient.

This dough is left to rest while a filling of spinach and ricotta is created. Then you return to the dough, cut it in half and begin rolling, gently, into sheets wide enough to accept a dollop and fold over. You dollop, seal, crimp, and cut, and then boil the ravioli, carefully turning them over half way through.

Everything is done by touch, feel, smell, and taste. You pay attention to your food. And it repays you richly.

Especially if you heat some butter with fresh sage leaves until the sage is fragrant and the butter is brown and nutty and pour it over the ravioli, nestled in a bowl. A sprinkling of freshly grated Parmigiano is not out of place.

My goodness. A few simple ingredients, an observant hour, and a reward that far outpaces that modest input.

I will definitely try this magic again.

Readers, there is still upheaval and sadness in the world. I hope these few quiet moments give you a sense of peace and comfort, a place to refuel before you go out and do the things you think are important. I am grateful you took the time to be here.