Pasta Puttanesca
Legend has it that Puttanesca sauce originated in the brothels of Naples, Italy in the mid-twentieth century. The women at the brothels would cook this fragrant sauce for their clientele to further entice them. Others say late one night in the 1950s customers came to a restaurant in Ischia and asked the owner to make them something, even though he had few ingredients left. They said to make “una puttanata qualsiasi” which translates to whatever ingredients he had on hand. Whatever the true origin story, Puttanesca sauce is incredibly aromatic and flavorful. The sauce utilizes the briney taste of olives and capers, combined with lots of garlic and a bit of spice from the red pepper flakes, added to the acid of the tomatoes. Some add anchovies to the dish, but this addition actually comes from neighboring Lazio and not the assumed origin in Campania. Personally, I do not find the anchovies to be necessary, but if you want that additional umami kick, go for it! Typically this is served with a long pasta, so I like to use Bucatini, which is visually appealing and soaks up a lot of sauce. What’s great, is this sauce comes together in minutes, so it’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Top with some shaved Romano or ricotta salata for even more flavor.
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
28oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
10 gaeta or kalamata olives, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons of capers (more if you prefer)
1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
olive oil
red pepper flakes (to taste)
Bit of dried oregano
Bit of dried parsley
In a high sided skillet, heat a bit of olive oil.
once heated add your onion and sauté for 2 minutes.
Next add in your olives and capers and sauté for another minute or two.
Then add in the garlic and sauté until softened a bit.
Add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate.
Immediately after add the crushed tomatoes and stir. Add the pepper flakes, oregano and parsley.
Allow to simmer on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.
Turn off the heat and add in your cooked pasta. Toss to coat the pasta and serve hot. Enjoy!
