Giant Killers

Happy Labor Day (what's left of it)! I hope you enjoyed a weekend of grillin' and chillin'. It was gorgeous in NYC! Although I didn't make it to a beach or a grill fest, I did have a nice long weekend, including a wedding extravaganza (congrats Liane and Larry!) which left me a little less than energized today. My solution? I spent a few hours couch-side (not court side) watching tennis (yes, the little voices in my head were screaming at me to just go outside already!).

Watching other people exercise almost makes me feel like I did too, but I don't have to get all sweaty and stuff. I love the US Open, and even when I don't have tickets to go, Dick Enberg, Mary Carillo, and John McEnroe provide more than enough entertainment with their color commentary. I almost forget that I'm sitting inside on a beautifully sunny day. Take today for instance. I watched the Oudin/Petrova match and they were loving the "scrappy 17-year old" phenom. Johnny Mac usually comes through with all of the obtuse remarks, but today, Dick Enberg was on fuego!

About Oudin:

"That's the kind of kid you wished lived next door."

"If you were playing tackle football, you'd want Oudin on your team."

 About Petrova:

"She just went into a clubhouse meeting with herself."

But my favorite exchange was between Enberg and Carillo (for some reason John stayed out of it). In repeatedly talking about how many formidable opponents Oudin had encountered and defeated on her way to the quarterfinals, they called her a "Giant Killer" and "Russian Slayer" (referring to the stature of the other girls -- Sharapova is 6'2", Oudin 5'6" -- and obviously their nationality). Um...ok. Then it got even more strange. At a turning point in the match, Enberg said, "The tall Russians have been the menu for Oudin, and she's gobbled them all up so far." To which Mary replied, "Is she full yet?" (What?!?) I guess we won't know until after the quarters, but in the meantime, Oudin can carbo-load with my fresh tomato laden pasta while the late summer tomatoes are still available.

 

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce 
(Adapted from Gourmet)

3 medium tomatoes

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 - 6 ounces capellini

Fresh basil leaves

1. Core two of the tomatoes and roughly chop. Cut the remaining tomato in half crosswise and grate the cut side against the large holes of a box grater over a large bowl. Discard the skin. Toss the tomato pulp with the chopped tomato, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Cook the pasta 1-2 minutes, until al dente but not soft. (It's ok to slightly undercook the pasta.) Drain thoroughly and return to the pot along with the tomato mixture and toss to coat. Briefly cook over medium heat, for about 1 minute, just until some of the excess tomato juice has been absorbed. Garnish with torn basil leaves if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 2 appetizer portions or one giant-killer sized entree.