Today is an auspicious day in the Only story

By Darren Atwater

Thursday October 30, 2008

Four years ago today, the new proprietors of the paper that I started and very cleverly lost, Terminal City Weekly, suddenly gave up and shut the paper down.

This means that, at four years and one month of age,Only has published longer than the the paper it sprang from.

(The 90s Terminal City Magazine ran a few years longer.)

Here in London, I celebrated this milestone with Chuck’s Penne Rigate with Vodka Cream Sauce.

Chuck was the first pure Only, joining us after the first few issues. The rest of us were exiles or associates of TCW. Chuck introduced us to two things that were essential to the Only commune’s success: Penne Rigate with Vodka Cream Sauce and the 3 litre jug of Carlo Rossi red.

Chuck’s Penne Rigate with Vodka Cream Sauce
(Reduced to four servings from 16.)

Penne Rigate (500g) (any tube pasta will do. The tube is vital)
Diced tomatoes (3 x 400ml)
Carrots (2)
Green, Yellow. Red pepper (1 of each)
Courgette (or Zucchini) (1)
Virgin olive oil
Garlic (2 cloves)
Basil (Handful)
Vodka (1 cup)
Cream (250 ml)

Chop roughly all the vegetables.

Sauté the garlic in the oil until translucent. Pour in the vodka and reduce until half.

Drop in the vegetables and stir fry for two minutes. Pour in the diced tomatoes and basil, stir, and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for as long as you can stand - 90 minutes at least.

When you are ready to cook the penne, stir the cream into the sauce then cook the penne.

After cooking and draining the penne, put it into a large pot and mix the sauce in. This is vital. This is a sauce must go into the noodle, not on top.

Grate some parmesan on each portion. Serve with bread and a glass of Carlo Rossi red.