posted by BeckyB 06-09-100 8:25 PM
Martha Stewart web site-June 7, 2000
Pasta Puttanesca
Serves 4
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
10 anchovies, crushed
1 twenty-eight-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped, and
strained, reserving juice
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 cup kalamata olives (3 ounces), pitted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain.
While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, red-pepper flakes, and anchovies. Cook, stirring, until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes, reserved juice, capers, and olives. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Stir pasta into sauce. Cook, stirring, until sauce clings to pasta, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley. Serve immediately.
The story behind the origins of puttanesca has a somewhat seedy tint. Legend holds that this savory dish was a favorite of Italian prostitutes (the name derives from puttana, the Italian word for “prostitute”), who could prepare and eat the dish quickly between clients. Now, of course, the associations with the world’s oldest profession have fallen away, leaving us with a simple, flavorful pasta dish that can be prepared in just a few minutes with delicious results.