Portents, Panic, and Pasta Puttanesca

So the last few weeks have been insane to say the least. Had to get my mum on a plan to Oz, had a trip down to the US to visit my bff and had massive amounts of personal and work stress to deal with. I've been coming home exhausted and collapsing. This does not make for a good blog!

I've successfully given myself the talk and have once more hopped on the recipe blogging bandwagon (having mum asking for easy and inexpensive recipes to make while abroad helps to motivate too!)

All this in mind, here is my newest recipe which is nothing more than a variation on an old recipe named for the world's oldest profession (if the stories surrounding the dish are true).

This is my take on:

Pasta Puttanesca

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small cooking onion
• 4-6 cloves garlic minced or 2-3 tsp already minced garlic from a jar
• 2-4 anchovy fillets or approx 1 tsp of paste
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small can diced tomatoes and 1 box cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• OR 2 boxes of cherry tomatoes cut in halves/quarters
• 10-20 kalamata olives – rough chopped (from an olive bar or the best brine packed you can afford
• 5-10 leaves of fresh basil - rough chopped (or 1 tsp of dry) - I love fresh basil so I tend to go 'big'
• 2 tbsp capers - rough chopped if you like or left whole
• 1 lb of your favourite pasta (I'm old school - I use Spaghetti or even linguini)

 Directions

1. In a sauté pan combine oil, garlic, onion, anchovies and red pepper flakes. Sweat over medium until garlic and onions are translucent and the anchovies have ‘melted’ into the rest of the ingredients (approx 5 minutes);
2. Add the chopped and canned tomatoes, olives, capers and dry basil if you’re using dry. Reduce heat to low and simmer while you prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package;
3. Keep an eye on the sauce and if it starts looking too thick add a bit of the pasta water to loosen it up. About a minute before serving rough chop the fresh basil if you’re using fresh and add to the sauce to infuse;
4. Cook pasta to al dente and then drain. Whatever you do, DON’T rinse because you’ll need the starch from the pasta to help make the sauce ‘stick’;
5. Add pasta to sauce, toss lightly, and serve. Sprinkle with a little shaved parmesan or pecorino cheese and a fresh basil leaf for decoration.

FYI: Putannesca is always good with garlic bread on the side ;-) If you’re going garlic you might as well go GARLIC!

Eat!

Enjoy!!