Photo: Pasta Puttanesca Recipe
This sauce is named for ladies of the night. They would place pots of it in their windows to tempt men into the bordellos. I like it because it's spicy, fast and easy (no disrespect to the ladies).
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tin flat anchovy fillets, drained
- 1 /2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 20 oil-cured black olives, cracked away from pit and coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 1 (32-ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- A few grinds black pepper
- 1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 pound spaghetti, cooked to al dente (with a bite)
- Crusty bread, for mopping
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano, for passing, optional
Directions
Serving suggestions: a simple salad of mixed bitter greens dressed with oil and vinegar, salt, and pepper, recipe follows
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add oil, garlic, anchovies, and crushed pepper. Saute mixture until anchovies melt into oil and completely dissolve and garlic is tender, about 3 minutes: your kitchen never smelled so good! Add olives, capers, tomatoes, black pepper, and parsley. Bring sauce to a bubble, reduce heat, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes.
Toss sauce with cooked pasta. Pass bread and cheese at the table and serve with a simple salad of mixed bitter greens dressed with oil and vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Cook's Note: Get your olives from the bulk bins in the market, rather than buying a jar. The unit price is always much less per pound and you can get just what you need for each recipe.
Bitter Greens Salad:
- 4 cups (about 2 bundles) arugula leaves, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (about 1 bundle) watercress leaves, coarsely chopped
- 1 head Radicchio lettuce, coarsely chopped
- 1 large lemon
- Extra-virgin olive oil, to coat, 2 to 3 tablespoons
- Coarse salt and black pepper
- Oil cured black olives, for garnish, optional
Combine greens in a salad bowl. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the bowl. Drizzle salad liberally with extra virgin olive oil. Toss salad and season salad with salt and pepper. Arrange salad on plates. Garnish plates with black olives, if using.
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By jen1214
Canton, MI
on October 18, 2011
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I made this last night, and it was awesome! I was a little wary of putting in the whole tin of anchovies, since I know they can be strong. I went for it and no regrets! My husband praised it right away before I could ask him if he liked it. Definitely will make again.
By Ms Mixologist
Morgan Hill Ca
on October 09, 2011
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Yummo! Easy and delicious. I'll definitely make this again.
By TheTikiGirl
West Haven, CT
on September 07, 2011
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I love this recipe. The briny taste of the capers, the meaty texture of the olives and the perfect saltiness of the anchovies makes this one of the best pasta dishes I have ever made. THANK YOU RACHEL!!!!
My nephew just moved in with us to attend a college in our area. He came downstairs and asked me what I was cooking because it smelled so good. I handed him the recipe and he read it and laughed. Then he asked me to blink the hallway lights when it was finished.
When it was done, we ate dinner. He loved it!!!! I am so happy that I was able to make something so simple and hearty and kind of break the ice with my nephew.
THANK YOU RACHEL! Your humor, your charm and your way of explaining food makes cooking good food so achievable. I feel that anything you can make I can make. Your recipes are so basic and simple yet so delicious!!!!
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