Pasta Puttanesca
Pasta Puttanesca
Puttanesca is a deliciously bold and flavorful tomato based sauce that’s incredibly easy to make. It’s origin has a colorful history with its name translating to “prostitute style” referring to a dish that was a quick meal prepared by ladies of the night in between customers! It’s a great meal to make any night of the week for something fast & tasty. This recipe uses a short pasta but feel free to use a more common long pasta like spaghetti or linguine.
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
8oz (226g) dry short Pasta or long (I used Gemeli)
14.5 oz (400g) Crushed Tomatoes
12-14 oz (340g-400g) Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 small (125g) Onion, finely diced
2/3 cup (80g) halved Kalamata or Mixed Olives
1/2 cup (118ml) Reserved Pasta Water
2 1/2 Tbsp (37ml) Olive Oil
2 1/2 Tbsp (37g) Capers
1 Tbsp (15g) Miso Paste
1 Tbsp (3g) chopped Parsley plus more for garnish
2-3 Basil leaves, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
pinch of Red Chili Flakes
Salt & Pepper to taste
Notes on Tomatoes
I used a combination of fresh cherry tomatoes and canned crushed. You could also use canned whole tomatoes that you hand crush. Use what you like or have on hand as long as you have a total of 28oz (800g).
Directions
1.Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.
2.While the pasta water is heating start the sauce by heating the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add in the onions and sauté them until translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
3.Add in the red chili flakes, 1 tbsp of parsley, capers and olives and mix well and cook to heat through. Add in the garlic and miso paste and mix until the miso is well incorporated and the garlic is fragrant.
4.Add in the cherry and crushed tomatoes and season with salt & pepper. Lower the heat to medium low, cover and allow it all to cook for 10 minutes.
5.Once the water is boiling, cook your pasta according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain and set aside.
6.Using a wooden spatula, gently press down the cherry tomatoes until they break apart and mix well.
7.Add in the cooked pasta and about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and mix well. Add in the chopped basil and mix through. Serve with a garnish of chopped parsley and enjoy!
