Whenever people tell me they don’t cook because they don’t have the time, I say “fiddlesticks!” and “hogwash!” Presumably because I’m some sort of 19th century gentleman. The truth is that as long as you have a few simple ingredients at home, cooking only takes as long as boiling water.

Start a pot of water over high heat. While it comes to a boil, wash and trim the ends off of some fresh green beans. In a saute pan, heat some olive oil with a few chile flakes. When the oil gets hot, add the green beans and some salt and pepper. They will sear a little bit, that’s a good thing. When they are nicely cooked, turn down the heat and add a few canned tomatoes, crushed or broken up. It’s important not to use too much tomato, the dish is really about the green beans.

By this point the water should be boiling. Add a good amount of salt, and then some capellini (aka angel hair) pasta. Angel hair is a great pasta to use, because it cooks insanely quickly. I have heard people say that as soon as it bends it is ready, though that seems a little early to me. As soon as it is cooked just short of perfect, drain the noodles and add them to the pan with the green beans. Turn the heat up and let the whole thing cook for about a minute. Turn off the heat, add some fresh olive oil and some parmesan cheese. A wonderful meal in about 10 minutes.

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