I normally don’t cook big meals after work on the weekdays. Complicated dishes take effort and concentration that I simply don’t have after looking at a computer screen for hours on end. But there’s always time for the food that steals my heart (and stomach) time and time again: pasta. One of my favorite pastas to make on a weekday is pasta puttanesca, adapted from a classic recipe used by Italians who were low on funds but loaded with briny, canned foods. Puttanesca has a spicy and salty ting flavor found lacking in most conventional pastas, something that wins over most first-timers.
If you want to try out my tasty puttanesca recipe, you’ll need:
1. One small container of cherry tomatoes
2. A handful of pitted black olives
3. 4 cloves of garlic
4. A handful of capers (about three tablespoons or so)
5. Anchovy paste
6. Red pepper flake
7. A generous pinch of brown sugar
8. Pasta (I usually use linguine)
9. Extra virgin olive oil
Start by cooking about half a box of pasta using the instructions on the side of the box. I generously salt my pasta water before cooking, and I suggest you do the same (you probably won’t be using salt for the rest of the recipe, but you won’t be missing it!). I typically wait to cook my pasta before starting the puttanesca sauce because it takes only about ten minutes to cook entirely.
While you’re waiting for the pasta noodles to cook, cut the cherry tomatoes in half. I use an entire container of cherry tomatoes, which adds up of about 12 ounces in volume. After you chop the tomatoes, dice the garlic into a fine mince and give your black olives and capers a rough chop. This will make up the main bulk of your sauce.
In a large pan, heat a glug of extra virgin olive oil with a small amount of anchovy paste (no bigger than your thumbnail) on medium heat. A little anchovy paste goes a long way, so remember not to overdo it. Once the paste starts sizzling, add the tomatoes, garlic, and olives to the pan. As they cook, add red pepper flake and the generous pinch of brown sugar for seasoning. You could add salt to taste if you’d like, but the briny taste of the olives, capers, and anchovy paste gives me ample salt when I cook the pasta.
Once the tomatoes have shrunken and the skins are falling off, add the chopped capers. Stir for about a minute and then add the cooked pasta, reducing the heat. Cook for a minute to let all the flavors marry with the fresh pasta, and then turn off the heat completely. Serve immediately, preferably with a green salad, some garlic bread, and a glass of chianti.
Enjoy!
Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.
