Alan Alda’s Chili Garlic Pasta.

Alan Alda’s Chili Garlic Pasta.

I was just finishing up feeding the cast and crew of the movies Cocktail and Three Men and a Baby that had been shooting in several Toronto locations. Doing both shoots at once was totally exhausting. All t…hat was left to do was throw the wrap party and then it was time for a break. I was looking forward to the down time after being on call 24/7 for the last several months. My crew was also run down and greatly needed some time for R&R. I was living in Preston at that time and could not wait to loaf about and visit some friends. While I was loading the fridge with some needed food items the phone rang and it was my boss calling to talk about my next clients.

Wow two of my favourite actors Alan Alda and Ann Margret. He was calling to say that the shoot schedule had been bumped up and that  A New Life was starting tomorrow and that I needed to meet the stars ASAP. I received the synopsis from the writer and director himself Alan Alda. Now that was a switch from the usual. Normally I would usually only see the personal manager for many days and then meet the actors.

Mr. Alda and his wife Beatrice were so friendly and open with me. He explained that as the director he believed that the secrets to making a good movie meant that all the people involved needed to be treated like family. Mr. Alda and his wife invited me to come to the suite they rented on the Toronto Lakeshore and when I got there his guests Hal Linden and his wife Francis Martin, Veronica Hamel and Mary Kay Place were present.

They all welcomed me warmly and were all sitting around talking about their careers in TV. Hal Linden was saying he got started while playing classical clarinet with the Sammy Kaye Orchestra and then acted in many Broadway Musicals and Broadway Plays. His best job for nearly a decade was his leading roll as TV cop Barney Miller. Mr. Linden was just as comfortable playing the piano as he was an actor. I still remember him singing these great tunes and the different styles of music that he played in-between takes.

Hal wrote me as a thank you “Stop me before I eat again and again!”

Veronica Hamel claimed she was the last person featured in a1971 cigarette commercial on the day the US government banned all tobacco advertisements on air while on the Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show. Veronica has been in many productions and also was the first owner to buy the estate of the late Marilyn Monroe. While doing some remodelling on the new house the contractor discovered a sophisticated eavesdropping and telephone tapping system that covered every room in the house. The components were “standard FBI issue.” This discovery lent further support to claims of conspiracy theorists that Marilyn had been under surveillance by the Kennedys and the Mafia.

Veronica gave me a big kiss thank you and signed a group photo!

Mary Kay Place was about my age and she talked about her musical and acting career spanning some 20 years. I sat and listened to these stories in awe.

It sure was a night to remember as I whipped up several appies and entrees in between the stories and the songs. It was all really just a test to see if my cooking ability was going to be accepted by these stars I was later told. Next day Mr. Alda walked me over to a trailer to introduce me to Ann Margret and her Husband Roger Smith who shook my hand and called out to his wife “Hey Slugger the chef is here and he looks like he eats well”. My heart was racing and out from another room Ms. Margret appeared hand stretched to greet me warmly. I was numbed by her beauty. She said that she heard of my ability to prepare healthy organic cuisine and asked me if knew how to cook true vegan style foods. She informed me that she and her husband were on strict diet schedules for health reasons and were counting on me to satisfy their feeding requirements.

Mr. Alda suggested that I make a pasta dish that evening that he and his wife have had before and it was vegetarian enough for everyone to enjoy. During the shoot I made this pasta dish about a dozen times for the Alda’s and over the years have served it to many friends and clients that have requested the recipe. The recipe itself is quite simple.   It’s the ingredients that make it special Italian.

You will need;

1 pound of fresh sweet cherry or grape tomatoes.

2 cloves of minced garlic.

1 Tbs. of sliced Spring onions.

1 cup thick sliced mushrooms.

4 tablespoons of good olive oil.

1 tablespoon of unsalted butter.

4 tablespoons of aged balsamic vinegar.

1/2 teaspoon sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

4 tablespoons of grated Reggiano Parmesan.

2 tablespoons of fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves.

1 teaspoon of fresh dried chili pepper flakes.

1 pound of Italian DeCecco Linguini  Noodles

1 piccolo stick loaf of Italian bread.

Place the tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil salt and pepper. Place on the middle rack of the pre warmed 400 degree oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Once roasted lightly squash all the tomatoes with a fork to get the juices flowing, drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. Set to the side and keep warm.

In a large pot of boiling salted water cook the pasta to package directions. When cooked Al’dente, drain the pasta and then add the roasted tomatoes vegetables and accumulated juices.

Fold in gently until well coated. Add the fresh basil, parsley and chili flakes. Mix again.

Place 4 equal portions in a warmed pasta bowls and dust with fresh grated parmesan cheese and side with a few slices of the piccolo bread.

 Mr. Alda loved to put a huge an mount of chilis on his pasta and signed a head shot and gave me another movie to cater. I just couldn’t beat that!

Bella!

Thekitchenman’s B.C.