Renewed Romance in Rome?

This was our first shot at freedom in three years-- and we were taking it, baby! The Mr's parents have agreed to watch our four little daughters for a glorious three nights, four days (and I will squeeze every minute I can out of those three nights, by God!) during the Christmas holiday, so that we can escape, make a run for it!

We decided on Rome-- glorious, historic, delicious Rome! I haven't been there since I was a teenager and the Mr., for all his travels across the globe, has never been there.

I think we are more excited for Christmas to come than our children.

Along with historical sites to see, I have also begun researching authentic Roman recipes. I'm reading a lot about artichokes and rabbit. Anyway, I came across a pasta recipe that was intriguing; meaty, spicy, rigatoni...need I say more? I changed things around a little bit, bringing the recipe up to date (it was several centuries old) and it is here below.

Although the Mr. has not yet been to Rome, he travels around much of the rest of Italy for work. He said that this pasta tastes like the type of dish he would get in a little trattoria. I took this as high praise.