in your memory

I don't even know how many years ago it was that my friend Jay Nash introduced me to the Los Angeles institution that is Angeli Caffe. I gasped aloud when Ms. Evan Kleiman Tweeted that she was closing the doors forever.

The Twitter tributes started pouring in, and then my Facebook news feed caught up with the news. My friend Scott noted that her Pasta Alla Fantasia was his go-to dish for unexpected company. Hmm...a job for the Google machine.

Spaghetti with peppers and onions. My heart fell a little. Confession: I'm not the hugest fan of peppers and onions. I mean, I'll eat it, but it's never going to be my first choice. But Matty loves it, and as I read further down the ingredients list and my eyes fell upon Gorgonzola, I decided to bite the bullet and try it.

I may have been converted. The peppers aren't cooked down to oblivion - 10 minutes still allows them to retain some freshness and crunch. And the orange is just so pretty! In another life, I would have stopped at adding the blue cheese to the hot pasta and called that dinner, but in tribute to Angeli, I continued with the recipe.

I added a handful or arugula to clean out the fridge, and next time I might add a little more - you could hardly taste the amount I had left. But the rest of the dish also deserves to shine on its own. You may have a different experience depending on the type of Gorgonzola/blue cheese you use, but the crumbled stuff from Trader Joe's I had provided just the perfect pungent contrast to the sweet peppers. The cheese and the olive oil from sauteing the vegetables were just the right amount of sauce - not heavy, but still rich.

Pasta Alla Fantasia
adapted from Viana La Place + Evan Kleiman's Pasta Fresca

1 lb. pasta
3 T. olive oil
2 small onions, thinly sliced
3 large orange bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
handful of arugula, roughly chopped
6 oz. Gorgonzola, crumbled

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown at the edges, about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Put the arugula in a large bowl. Drain the pasta and add to the bowl with the arugula. Add the Gorgonzola and toss gently until it begins to melt. Add the vegetable mixture and toss again. Serve immediately.