Pasta Puttanesca literally translated as “spaghetti in the style of a prostitute” is most probably the quickest pasta you will ever make. (Well, maybe my Pesto Pasta is quicker) It is a tangy, somewhat salty Italian pasta dish, dated back to the mid-20th century. I am not sure how this recipe is linked to prostitution, but maybe “salty” and “slightly tangy” have something to do with it.
Pasta Puttanesca is made with ingredients typical to the Southern Italian cuisine, tomatoes, olive oil, anchovies, olives, capers and garlic. Although I love the capers and anchovies, many versions of pasta puttanesca exclude either the one or the other. Traditionally, the sauce is served with spaghetti, although it also goes well with penne, bucatini, linguine and vermicelli.
I love the fact that this dish is delicious hot or cold. Because their is quite a bit of olive oil in the recipe, the pasts does not stick together when cold. So it makes perfect sense to make a bowl of this over the weekend and enjoy with your braai and then have some leftover for the week’s lunchboxes. If you insist on having a protein with the pasta puttanesca, a grilled piece of yellow tail, grilled chicken or a steak will do just fine.
Just one word of advise, the anchovies and olives are already salty, so be careful when you add seasoning to the dish. Add salt right at the end of the process. We like loads of grated Parmesan on it, but even that is a bastardized version, chopped parsley is the way to go.
Pasta Puttanesca
serves 4 – 6
Ingredients
500 g penne – cooked according to packet instructions
2 cloves garlic
45 ml Olyfberg Olive Oil
1 small jar or 200 ml capers – drained and chopped
250 ml black olives – pitted and roughly chopped
8 – 10 anchovy fillets – chopped
2 red chilies – finely chopped
500 g cocktail tomatoes – you can use canned tomatoes, but I like the texture of using fresh tomatoes
a handful fresh oregano
a handful fresh basil
salt and pepper if needed
Method
Heat a pot on the stove top and add the olive oil. Saute the garlic, anchovies, chillies, capers and olives. Be careful not to burn the garlic as it will add a bitter taste to your dish. Add the tomatoes and the oregano and reduce the heat. Allow the pot to slow simmer so that the tomatoes can burst open and release their own juices. If you find your sauce to dry, add a little water or stock. With tinned tomatoes, you will have more liquid than when using fresh.
Once you have a sauce consistency add the pasta and mix. Serve with chopped parsley, crusty bread and parmesan if you must.
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