This is an extremely simple dish; to prepare it, virtually nobody in Italy follows a recipe. I want to include it in this issue of Three Monkeys Online as a suggestion to all those who have not much time on their hands to shop for groceries or to cook, were not endowed with a natural talent in the kitchen, or simply read somewhere that the Mediterranean diet is tasty, healthy and cheap, but do not know where to start from.

What you need (for two people):

10 kalamata olives (6 for the sauce, 2 to eat while you're cooking, 2 to garnish)
200 gr. spaghetti
2-3 dried red chilli peppers
2 garlic cloves
parsley
oil
fresh pecorino or parmigiano reggiano cheese
2 sundried tomatoes cut in thin slices (if you really want to overdo)

How you do it:

While you bring the water to the boiling point (remember the little formula, don't you? 1Lt of water – 100 gr. of pasta – 10 gr. of coarse sea salt, to be added only once the water is boiling), chop the garlic and ground the chilli peppers in a pan big enough to contain the spaghetti too. Stone the olives and chop them (careful though not to loose all the juice!).

When the water is boiling, salt it and throw in the spaghetti. After a few minutes, you can start to fry lightly the garlic and the chilli in olive oil, on a very low flame. Chop some parsley and grate the cheese.

Now the difficult bit: clear the kitchen of kids, dogs and any other hindrance, drain the pasta when it is al dente, pour it into the pan with the oil, add olives, parsley, cheese and sundried tomatoes (if you did decide to overdo). Stir well for a minute or so, and Buon appetito!!