Now, if you’ve been reading my blog or have known me for more than, like, 5 minutes, you know that I’m a lover of pasta.
JB + Pasta = 4ever
And you may or may not know that I snagged my husband by making spaghetti puttanesca for him. Okay. It may not have been the puttanesca. But I like to think it was.
I love puttanesca sauce – so tangy, briny, spicy and rich. I’ve held back from making it in large batches because I know I’m the only person in my house who would truly enjoy it – Rob would just pick out the olives and I’m sure his Dad wouldn’t even touch it. What’s the point?
Well Anthony Bourdain, in his infinite wisdom, showed me the light during a recent episode of his show. Puttanesca doesn’t have to be slow-cooked for hours like I cook my other sauces. Oh nay, nay. It can easily be made in smaller batches as a quick sauce.
DUH. I’ve been making quick sauces for years! Why didn’t I think of that?
Don’t know how to pit olives without one of those olive pitting gadgets? Easy. Work out your aggressions on them – put a wide knife on top and give it a solid whack, just like you would a clove of garlic prior to peeling. The pit should then be easy to pull out.
Now, there’s something we need to discuss. Namely the usage of anchovies.
Wait! Come back! Hear me out!
Don’t be scared. The anchovies cook down in olive oil until they are nothing more than a paste.
See? I'm not lying!
Why are the anchovies necessary? Because they add such richness, such depth to the sauce. Just trust that when I took my first taste, my eyes closed in blissful ecstasy.
I’m serious. Blissful ecstasy, people. Anchovies took me there. So don’t turn your nose up at them until you give ‘em a shot.
Remember to cook them low and slow, or else you’ll wind up with crunchy bits. Don’t ask me how I know this from experience. Just trust me.
Otherwise, the entire sauce comes together in the time it takes the pasta to cook.
And then it’s time for bliss, people. Serious bliss. Anchovies and all.
Serves 2
2 cups uncooked pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 anchovy filets, in oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 teaspoons drained capers
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Chopped parsley and shaved parmigiana (optional)
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water.
After placing pasta in water, heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add anchovies and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking up pieces.
Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to incorporate with anchovy paste.
Add capers and tomatoes. Turn heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring frequently. After 3-4 minutes, add olives and red pepper flakes.
When pasta is just short of al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of water, then drain and add pasta to pan. Toss with sauce and add reserved water a bit at a time if sauce needs thinning. Allow pasta to finish cooking in sauce.
Divide and serve with parsley and shaved parmigiana, if desired.
Sharing with: Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, It’s So Very Cheri, A Southern Fairytale, Delightfully Dowling, All the Small Stuff, 33 Shades of Green, Blessed With Grace , Nothing But Country, Sugar and Dots, Trendy Treehouse, The Lady Behind the Curtain, This Chick Cooks, Designs by Gollum, Tidy Mom, Simply Sweet Home, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam,
This looks fantastic. I cannot wait to try it out. Fantastic pictures. Come over and visit us. We have a wonderful Southern speciality.
Awesome! And thanks for stopping by.
Suddenly, I’m STARVING–and I’m reading this just after breakfast.
I’ll bear witness to the defense of the anchovy. I wouldn’t eat one of those suckers whole on a bet, but they do add a great flavor to food. The delicious flavor in real Caesar dressing comes from anchovies after all–Worcester sauce too.
Really? I didn’t know about the Worcester sauce. You’ve taught me something today!
You need to be heading to food bloggy events and showing them what ya got!!!
Aw, thanks! I’m blushing over here (seriously).
Yum! Pure yum!
Thanks!
[...] This post was Twitted by MrsJenBardall [...]
I like to make my favorite dishes even if my guys don’t enjoy them from time to time.
Oh believe me, I do to – just not in bulk. That’s why this was perfect for me! If I limited myself to only what the other two would eat…it wouldn’t be pretty, let’s just leave it at that.
Your posts are like food porn. And now? I’m starving!
Oops. Sorry. Okay, not really.
This looks gorgeous, I have to try it! Thank you for the recipe
Hmmmm, I’m there! Looks and sounds delish…anchovies included.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Pat
I am a little scared of anchovies, I’m not gonna lie, but this does look really good!
I have never ever tasted this recipe in any shape or form ( but then Im from Samoa so i have a good excuse) But those photos and your description of the cooking process have got me sold. I have copied the recipe and am going to be daring ( stupid) and try this one at home. without supervision. I will let you knw how it turns out. ( if i really mess up i may b too embarassed to report back though…and if its a dream come true then i will probably brag about it on my blog LOL) Thank you.
OK, this sounds amazing! Any pasta with olives in it is good by me and the anchovies? Yes please!
How delicious! That pasta has me hungry
Looks delicious, I have a very similar recipe I’ve made before from Jaime Oliver. Thanks for reminding me how good it was.
Here’s my verison:http://www.newlyweds-blog.com/2010/02/10/spaghetti-puttanesca/
YUM I WANT THIS RIGHT THIS SECOND.
That’s all.
(and also, I’ve been thinking about you a lot! xo )
Thank you, my friend. It means so much to me – you have no idea! xo
What a GREAT recipe! I’d like to invite you over to Lady Behind The Curtain for my link party “Cast Party Wednesday” to share this and more of your recipes.
Thanks,
I hope to see you there!
Just started following your blog!Saw this on Cast Party Wed…looks SO good!
Thank you!
What a fabulous pasta dish! Very few people know the yumminess of puttanesca sauce! I’d Love to have you join in my weekend foodie blog hop where 8 blogs are featured each week! Hope you can stop by and join in! Now your newest follower and hope you can follow back if you like!
Thank you so much! I’ll definitely be stopping by.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipes with me at Cast Party Wednesday. I hope you will come back tomorrow for another party filled with GREAT RECIPES!
Thanks,
I hope to see you there!
Thanks so much, I look forward to sharing again.
[...] 4. Easy Pasta Puttanesca [...]
This looks and sounds so DELISH! And so professional/gourmet/elegant/impressive!!! Wow! I want to eat this right NOW! No, I mean it! Right…N-O-W. LOL Dang. It’s too bad that I don’t have all of the ingredients to make this. :O I am so BUMMED!
Thank you for sharing though. Wow. So cool. So seriously cool. I can’t believe I sound so excited about a pasta, but I am! LOL I can’t help it. You really know how to sell it. 
Thank you again. Your food photography is gorgeous! That really helps. Be encouraged and God bless you. 