Some people are into rice. Some like corn. I, however, am a pasta guy, through and through. Good lord I love pasta. I love it for lunch and for dinner. I’m even partial to a little cold carbonara in the morning (hey, it's made with bacon and eggs). It's always good.

Last week I went to Osteria Mozza in L.A. It's a new place and the pasta is phenomenal. Of course, we have good pasta here in SF, too. For haute pasta, there's none better (perhaps in the world) than Quince (full disclosure: my wife works there, but even if she didn't, I would still rave about the pasta). I've also had great stuff at Perbacco (the one with rabbit sauce is wonderful), A16 and always Zuni (though, strangely, I'm not the biggest fan of the famous ricotta gnocchi—everything else, however, is fantastic).

So, when I need something to help me wash down a glass of red wine, particularly a tart little number from Chianti, or when I've been out drinking and need to put something in my stomach, I make this, my late-night pasta. It's super easy and gives you super bad breath, unless you eat it while drinking at least two small glasses of a sangiovese- or montepulciano-based wine. I recommend 2004 Poderi San Lazzaro "Grifola" Marche IGT. Serve it in a tumbler—it will not work if you drink the wine from a wine glass.

Anyway, get cooking.

1/2 lb. linguine (spaghetti works too, as long as it’s long and stringy)
3-4 cloves garlic
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
5 pepperoncini, fresh from the jar
parsley
Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt and pepper

Boil water and add pasta. Coarsely chop the garlic cloves and sauté in olive oil over medium heat. Remove the garlic from the oil when it begins to turn brown. Thinly slice the pepperoncini, add to the olive oil and continue sautéing. Remove the pasta when it is seriously al dente and add it to the peppers and oil in the pan, cook for another few seconds and remove from heat. Toss with salt and pepper, add some chopped parsley and top with fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.