Pasta Pepperonata Kinda

It was a cold, rainy day in Portland, but still nice to be back in my hometown. Since it was a federal holiday, I took the opportunity to spend the day, guess?........ Househunting, as I spend every waking moment that I am not at work since I arrived here. Well, that might be slight exageration, but not much. We do go out to eat occassionally. In Portland, it's hard not to. There are so many great places here and it's a fun way to explore the neighborhoods. It's been 6 months since me and the Husband moved back and we still don't have a house!!! We may have found it today and in celebration I am going to try to make the pasta pepperonata recipe that we enjoyed last weekend at our favorite local restaurant that we could have not lived without over the six months that we have been back and staying at my dad's house, Cafe Mingo.

I didn't have a perfect fit recipe because Mingo's was made with lamb sausage and the grocery store I went to didn't have any, so I substituted raw bulk italian pork sausage and goat cheese instead of the marscarpone, which Jamie Oliver prefers. Mingo made it with goat cheese and I swear they threw some tomatoes, so I did too before I realized that darling Husband handed me the tomatoes with chiles instead of the tomatoes with basil. Oh, and I used a jar of fire roasted red pepper instead of the fresh peppers, no fresh herbs.

Still, I think it's going to be good. A carbo load for tomorrow when we will make the offer on the next possible house. Built in 1928, it's totally retro kitsch, not what we were looking for but it's a killer neighborhood. I will keep you posted. Here is a pic from the 1960s kitchen--matching peanut butter colored oven and fridge!!!