Puttanesca sauce has an interesting history to it. Puttana means “Whore” in Italian. It is said that this sauce was made by prostitutes in between customers, because it was fast and easy to make, hence the name, which translates to “Spaghetti Whore Style”. I don’t know how true that is, but I do know that its tasty and tangy, and you can make this dish from start to finish in under 30 minutes. In my sauce I omitted the pepper flakes due to to the little whippersnappers, but if you do not have children at the table, do yourself the favor and make sure to add the pepper flakes. It makes it that much better. This sauce is also good with Linguine or Vermicelli pasta.
Take 5 to 6 cloves of garlic and finely chop.
Take a large can of peeled tomatoes and blend in blender. You do want a littler texture in the sauce, so don’t over blend, just a few pulses, or peeled crushed tomatoes can be used. Just make sure that your tomatoes are peeled. You do not want pieces of tomato peel in your sauce.
Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to skillet.
Throw in the chopped garlic……
And now add the Anchovy fillets, 6 to 7 are good.
Cook until the anchovies melt into the oil and the garlic softens. At this point is where you would add the red pepper flakes. A pinch of red pepper flakes will do.
Add the tomatoes….
The chopped olives (I use Kalamata olives)…..
and the capers.
Season with salt and pepper. Not too much salt, the anchovies are naturally salty.
Cook on medium heat for about 12 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Pour over spaghetti or linguine that has been cooked al dente and serve!
Ingredients:
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 pound of spaghetti or linguine
1 (28 ounces) large can of whole peeled tomatoes (that have been lightly blended in a blender) or 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
6 to 7 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons of capers
a pinch of red pepper flakes
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup of chopped pitted Kalamata olives
Cooking method:
Put a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Once the water boils, salt the water.
In a large heavy skillet, add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped garlic and the anchovy fillets. Move the fillets around in the oil with your utensil. You will notice that the anchovy will start to break up and melt in the oil. Once the anchovy has melted in the oil and the garlic has softened, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook for about 3 more minutes. Now add the the tomatoes, capers and olives. Season with a pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook for approximately 12 minutes more over medium to medium-low heat, depending on your stove. Toss with your cooked pasta and serve. Serves 4
Leave a Reply