August 17th, 2009
Interesting Pasta Dish…Pasta Puttanesca
Now that you have read some of the events going on at my beaches, I thought that you might like this recipe. I hope you have not gone to the grocery store yet, but you also might have the ingredients at hand.
This Italian pasta dish is spicy and very flavorful. The main ingredients are anchovies and black olives. It is also a very fast sauce to prepare.
The story of how Pasta Puttanesca originated is very colorful. It is understood that it was used by the “ladies of the night” to lure men into their houses of ill repute.
The word puttanesca means prostitute, but in the Spanish language it might be a much more derogatory word.
Here is my recipe:
Pasta Puttanesca
3/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into pieces
1/4 cup capers
3/4 cup black olives, pitted. Some good black olives are Gaeta or Black Pearl, but any other brand will do.
6 oil packed anchovies, drained
Dried oregano to taste
Handful of parsley, finely chopped
Salt to taste (optional)
1 1/3 lbs. vermicelli or spaghetti or gluten free pasta
Chopped parsley for garnish
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a skillet and add garlic. When garlic is browned, add pepper flakes, tomatoes, capers and olives. Cook over fairly high heat for 10 minutes. Cut anchovies into small pieces and add to sauce. Add oregano and parsley; cook for 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.
Cook vermicelli, spaghetti or gluten free pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain and pour the sauce over the pasta. Garnish with parsley and serve at once.
Pass the pepper mill.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
A good green salad will look beautiful with this dish. Just olive oil and freshly grated cheese. That is really all you need.
Note: The information on where Pasta Puttanesca came from was taken from www.helium.com
Tags: Recipes
