Author Notes: It was the first of many evenings without George Clooney. We flew over the gorgeous hills north of Florence on the flight from Paris. I think we passed over Lake Como. Being under strict orders from my friend, Marci, to Find. George., I took as mental a note as I was capable of. On the flight to Paris, I’d been trapped in a window seat on the wrong side of the restrooms since approximately Newfoundland by a nice nurse of the missionary persuasion. She’d been traveling between family in the U.S. and the Ivory Coast for 40 years. She knew how to sleep on a plane. I can be quite polite. So I was a little ragged when I flopped into Florence at 3:00 in the afternoon, 18 hours after I had first taken off (though it was a couple of days before I was capable of doing the math). 

First Night in Florence Spaghetti

Serves: 2 with leftovers; easily doubles or triples 
Prep time: 25 min 
Cook time: 30 min

• 1/2 package spaghetti or bucatini
• Sea or kosher salt
• Good olive oil, and lots of it
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes of whatever colors are to hand, halved
• 2 or 3 good sized cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can tuna packed in olive oil, not drained, opened, homage to Pierino who appreciates the value of very good canned tuna
• A couple of generous handfuls of spinach leaves, stems pulled off
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, Meyer if possible
• Sea or kosher salt and pepper to taste
• A good Parmesan or Romano cheese

1. A note about the tuna: Italian tuna packed in olive oil is heavenly. There are many brands available. Ortiz is heavenly; Roland offers a decent one. That said, I live in Montana. When I want pasta, I don't want it when Amazon or anyone else can get tuna to me. I'm happy to to stop into World Market and buy Tonnino yellowfin for $2.95 a can. And a note about the cheese. No, it is not traditional to serve fishy pastas with cheese. But if you have to have Parm with your pasta, by all means go ahead. Just use it sparingly.
2. Start heating a large pot of generously salted water (it should taste like the ocean). This comes together fast. Good for evenings when you need dinner to almost make itself.
3. I had this over a spaghetti that was more like what we consider bucatini, so if you can find bucatini, grab it. No delicate, frail pasta allowed. The pasta has a front and center seat here. It’s not a mere conveyor of other flavors, it’s right out there with its arms around them all. Pull out about 1/2 of it from the package. Check the cook time. Set a timer for 3 minutes less than the recommended cook time. Drop the pasta into the water and begin making the sauce. Multi-tasking necessary here: keep a set of tongs to hand to gently move the pasta around so that it doesn’t sink and stick, and also to move the sauce ingredients about.
4. Set a skillet over medium-high heat. It should be large enough to hold the sauce and pasta at the end. Force yourself to add 2 or 3 times as much good olive oil as you usually would.; we’re not “filming” any pans here. This is all about the bold flavors of delicate ingredients. Use a good 5 ounces.
5. When the oil is hot (it’ll shimmer, or ribbon), add the halved tomatoes. They’ll cook along quickly, releasing those precious juices to concentrate in all that lovely olive oil. If the skillet is too spattery, turn the heat down a bit. As the tomatoes begin to soften, add the garlic. When it’s very fragrant, add the tuna and its oil. Break up any large chunks with a wooden spoon. Turn down the heat to a good simmer.
6. When the timer goes off for the pasta, use tongs to lift it out of the boiling water and drop it directly into the skillet. Please trust me, it wants to be way more dente than al. It’s going to cook some more in the skillet. Dip out a couple of good ladles of pasta water and add to the skillet. Move everything around and together with your tongs. Toss in the spinach and add the lemon juice. Move everything around until spinach is just wilted. Taste the sauce before you season to taste with salt and pepper. Use your tongs to lift pasta out onto plates. Divide any remaining sauce between them. Grate some good cheese over the top. Serve with slices of focaccia or baguette so that not one drop of sauce is left behind. You’ll be a happier person for it.
7. As noted, this all comes together very quickly, so be on your toes. Thank God I didn’t have to make anything my first night in Florence, and thank heaven the daughter took me to it. It was worth the price of the entire trip to have tasted it. With my daughter. I was in heaven. George was on his own.

https://food52.com/recipes/14030-first-night-in-florence-spaghetti