About a month ago I posted that I was going to sprinkle Cayenne pepper all over my garden to see if it keeps the animals out. I had made my problem worse when I installed a new bird-feeder and bath and created a nice cozy environment for those furry little rats. My bad.
So the pepper must have worked! So far I have not had one single nibble on any of my plants. Granted - I had to sprinkle a whole bottle of pepper on my plants in order to do the whole garden. But that seems cheaper than replacing the plants and totally freaking out in the morning when I look out back and see that my garden has been ravaged. I can only run out the back door screaming and waving my arms around like a freak of nature so many times before the neighbors turn off their lawn mower, put down the wrench (yes there is a chop chop across the alley - I am totally sure of it!!!) and look over at me to see what the hell is my problem.
So, this weekend I noticed an advertisement for Repellex - a capsaicin product (the stuff that makes peppers hot). It was invented by a chemist who's wife had cancer and he was looking for a better delivery method for her meds - then one day she was bitchin' about her garden being ravaged by animals and decided to see if he could use the same delivery method for her plants.
You put ghe pills in the soil round your plant in the spring before they grow and the plant draws in the capsaicin and makes it unattractive to varmints. If the Cayenne works then this should work too right??? So I am going to get some and give it a whirl. Apparently you only need to use it twice a year - so hopefully it's inexpensive. It is also natural which is a very good thing as my garden is organic and I want it to stay that way (accept for the weekly miracle grow treatment ;-).
My one major question is this: if I put this on my veg. garden then will my vegetables come out all hot and spicy??? hard to know! Until I try it.
So in honor of my peppered garden I am going to post this lovely simple healthy recipe I call my really freaking good simple summer pasta.
My Really Freaking Good Simple Summer Pasta:
Salt
2/3 lb of Rigatoni
2 lbs plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes (or more if you like it hot)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
8 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese diced
* any other veg. or meat you like - a short list is provided below
OK here is the deal.... you have to use fresh ingredients - not dried herbs, no other type of tomatoes, none of that shitty frozen or jarred garlic and for god's sake alive use FRESH mozzarella - you can find it just about everywhere.
And finally, man up - use the red pepper flakes. 1/4 won't make it hot and if it's hot to you when you are done you are a total wimp because I have family members that have the most white-toast tender mouths and can't tell there is any in there so you won't either. If you like even a little bit of heat then double the pepper flakes - it will only be a background flavor.
So here is the drizzle:
Make your pasta and set aside
In a skillet or pan large enough to hold all of the ingredients including the pasta you will want to add the oil and garlic is soft and just starting to brown. About 4-5 min. Remove from heat and stirr in the pepper flakes.
Now you stirr in all of the rest of the ingredients - the whole lot. If it seems dry then add a tad more balsamic and/or olive oil. The mozzarella will not melt completely - which is what you want because you don't want a sticky mess of pasta - the mozzarella is to have a little bit to it.
I like to add other vegetables to round out the meal like asparagus, broccoli rab, maybe even chicken or turkey/chicken sausage (not not sweet). Kids love this dish too and don't worry about burning their face off with the pepper flakes they will be just fine.
Don't forget to taste it before you serve it - if it seems like it lacks flavor then add some salt or a bit of garlic salt or more balsamic.
Enjoy!
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