Pasta alla Puttanesca

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Author: Bob and Robin Young

Web Page: www.rockinrs.com/rnrcontents.htm, http://boisefoodieguild.blogspot.com

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A classic sauce made with tomatoes, capers, olives, and anchovies. The lore of Pasta alla Puttanesca, which translates as "Whore's Pasta," varies: some say it refers to the spicy, pungent aroma produced by its ingredients that enticed passing customers; others claim pragmatically that this out-of-the-larder dish was the easiest thing workers could prepare between customers, and cheap to boot. People cook it today because it has a remarkable flavor, is easy, and is made of ingredients easily kept on hand.

Degree of Difficulty

Degree of Difficulty: Easy

Servings

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1

lbs

Linguini or Spaghetti

½

c

Olive Oil plus 1 T

6

Anchovy fillets, chopped

2

cloves

Garlic, finely chopped

3

c

canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes (keep the juice), coarsely chopped

Sea Salt to taste

2

t

Oregano, fresh chopped or ½ tsp dried oregano

2

T

Capers, rinsed and drained

10

Black Olives, pitted and julienned

1

Put all but 1 T of the olive oil and the anchovies in a large skillet over a low heat and cook, stirring until the anchovies dissolve. Add the garlic and cook for about 15 seconds, taking care not to brown it (garlic gets bitter if browned)

2

Raise the heat to a medium-high and add the tomatoes, and juice, with a pinch of salt. When the sauce comes to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer until the tomatoes have reduced and separated from the oil. This will probably take 20-40 minutes.

3

Remove from the heat and set aside. If you want, you can now refrigerate the sauce and save for the next day.

4

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, add 1 t of salt, and drop in the pasta all at once, stirring until the strands are submerged. If you have a smaller pot, you can use less than 4 quarts of water, but you must constantly stir the spaghetti for one minute.

5

When the pasta is halfway done, return the skillet with the sauce to a medium heat, adding the oregano, capers, and olives. When the pasta is cooked al dente, drain and toss with the sauce in the skillet over a low heat, adding the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste for salt and serve at once with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Cooking Times

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes