Pasta puttanesca
Legend has it that this dish was invented by an Italian prostitute, which explains the translation: Harlot Sauce.
Portions: Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 6 Roma tomatoes
- 10 Italian or Greek oil cured olives
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 4 ounces canned anchovies
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 pound spaghetti, or other long pasta
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
- 2 teaspoon fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 springs Italian flat parsley, to garnish
Preparation:
Wash the tomatoes and chop (do not peel or remove the seeds). Remove the pits from the olives and cut in half. Rinse
the capers. Drain the oil from the anchovies and separate. Smash, peel, and mince the garlic. Fill a large saucepan with just enough salted water to cover the pasta. Bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, until al dente (10 to 15 minutes). Drain the pasta thoroughly. Melt the unsalted butter in a frying pan. Add the garlic. Cook over low heat for 1 minute, then add the anchovies. Continue cooking over low heat, gently mashing the anchovies and mixing with the garlic. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano, basil, and the red pepper flakes. Turn the heat up to medium low, and cook until the tomatoes have softened. If the sauce is too dry, add 1 tablespoon water or tomato paste. To serve, combine the sauce with the cooked pasta. Garnish with the parsley. In Greek, basil means regal herb. Deeply fragrant and possessing a brilliant green color, basil is also exceptional to use as a garnish. When using fresh basil, you should not chop or slice it with a knife the leaves will blacken and lose their flavor. Instead, tear the leaves with your fingers.
