Spaghetti with Puttanesca Sauce

Puttanesca Sauce is one of our very favorite pasta sauces. Tradition has it originating in Naples but Calabria also claims it. Either way, the ingredients are definitely Southern Italian, combining tomatoes with anchovies, garlic, olives, capers, hot peppers and oregano. The flavor is complex, sensual and seductive.Supposedly it is has aphrodisiac properties. Salsa Puttanesca literally means "prostitute’s sauce". Maybe that’s the connection. It’s quick and easy to make. If you have never had it, I'm sure once you try it, it will become one of your favorite pasta sauces too.

Ingredients -

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oi

5 anchovy fillets - chopped

5 nice sized cloves of garlic – minced

hot red pepper flakes - enough to make it interesting but don’t over due it         

2  Pints grape tomatoes

1 tablespoon fresh oregano - chopped  or 1 tsp dry

1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley - chopped

2 tablespoons large capers preferably in salt (rinsed)

15 black olives (Kalamata are the best) - pitted and cut in half

salt – just a little because the other ingredients are salty 

1 box spaghetti or linguine                        

Procedure -

Put olive oil and anchovies in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the anchovies dissolve - about 5 min.

Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until the garlic just starts to turn color - about 1-2 min - don’t overcook the garlic.

Add the tomatoes, oregano and parsley and a little salt and raise the heat to med-high.  After the tomatoes come to a boil and start to melt down, reduce the heat and simmer covered for about 30-40 min.

Cook the pasta 

When the pasta is almost done, add the capers and olives to the sauce and blend in.

Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Drizzle a little olive oil over it. 

Note - Grated cheese is not typically used with this sauce.