As a prelude to the Pasta Puttanesca, and to fortify myself after a day in the office before beginning the admittedly simple recipe, I put together this easy plate of appetite-whetters. A few cherry peppers, some olives, a few slices of salami, and a couple of multi-grain flatbread crackers made for a bright beginning to the evening of salty goodness. A white Spanish wine accompanied the whole affair (not sure if that’s appropriate or not, but it’s all Andy could rustle from the wine cellar, a.k.a. the wooden rack in the basement).
I used to think that small plates like this were foolish, but they really do work well, especially in the summer, when you want to take a moment to decompress after a long, hot day.
