Yesterday, in the basement of the welfare office, meeting a couple of what gramps, had I ever met him, would have called, “bad apples,” I made do on air and water. Sustained by recent memories of beef, I succeeded in getting through the day.
Just to be clear about the fruit: We’re talking not just about incarcerations, which is kind of like being an Eagle Scout where I was, but a core lack or very limited supply of empathy. Havoc having been wreaked upon the person, the person then wreaks havoc on others.
Reaching home, barely, I wolfed down two big pieces of Syrian pita with the house made hummus. How, you might well ask, do you make house made hummus? Put about a cup of dried chick peas and eight cups of water in a pressure cooker. Add a smudge of salt. High pressure for about 22 minutes. Drain. Place chickpeas in a food processor with about a half cup of tahini, juice of one lemon, 1/2 teaspoon of pulverized cumin seeds, a little salt, and 1/2 cup of water. Turn processor on and add water to desired thickness. Remove into a bowl, sprinkle with paprika.
This dish satisfied me until a good summer dinner of ricotta and spinach ravioli, six p.p., from Russo’s, with an easy tomato sauce of Pomi, 1/2 onion, two garlic cloves, and grated parmigiano and black pepper.