When I saw Paul step out of his gate at the Baltimore airport, he raised his arms and started toward me in a joyful burst of leaping and skipping, arms out, fingers fluttering in the air as we drew closer to one another. I didn’t even see his face up close before his body, nearly twice my size, wrapped around mine. His trip was only a week, but I missed him more than I care to admit. Without him, I let dishes pile up in the sink. The kitchen trash nearly overflowed. I drove home at night once with no headlights. I forgot my wallet at the checkout line. I felt like I was living life with one hand tied behind my back.
As we waited for his bag at the carousel, I attached myself to him like I was one big button on his overcoat. He looked down at me, “What’s for dinner?” he said. “I cannot wait to eat your food.” That’s all he has to say, ever, and I’m his. But this time I didn’t know. I usually plan something extravagant for dinner when he returns from a business trip (steak au poivre! Moroccan lamb shanks!). But his flight landed early and I didn’t have time to shop.
He heaved his giant suitcase off the carousel, and we rolled through Skywalk B to the parking garage, hopped in our new Nissan with perfect temperature levels (I cannot tell you how happy this makes us), and drove straight into a traffic jam. While the engine hummed on I-95 behind a sea of taillights at a perfect 75 degrees, I detailed the plot points and twists of the last two movies I saw. Together with Paul, I felt balanced, and like daily rhythms and routines could begin again.
When we arrived home, I opened the fridge and spotted four brown eggs, pancetta, and a half full jar of tomato sauce. I knew then what I was going to make for dinner: Italian braised eggs in tomato sauce. Ending our mutual emotional and physical journeys with humble ingredients from the fridge seemed ‘back to normal’ and exactly right.
Braised Eggs with Pancetta over Parmesan Polenta
Serves 2
4 eggs
1 ounce pancetta (1 thin slice per person), diced
1-1/2 cup tomato sauce
4 garlic cloves, crushed with the back of knife
red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Polenta
¾ cup polenta
2-1/4 cup water
2/3 cups grated parmesan
Salt to taste
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the red pepper flakes, crushed garlic, and pancetta. Let simmer on medium-low heat for 3 – 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add a little water or chicken stock if the sauce dries out too much. Season the sauce with salt to taste.
Meanwhile make the polenta by bringing water to a boil, then adding the polenta and stirring until thickened about 5 minutes. Add the parmesan and season with salt.
Crack the eggs into individual ramekins and gently slide into the red sauce. Cover the pan with a lid and let cook for about 7 minutes until the eggs yolks have just turned translucent white.
Spoon the polenta onto the plates and top with eggs and sauce.
