Puttanesca SaucePuttanesca Sauce is a very flavorful sauce originating from Naples. The combination of anchovies, capers and olives gives this sauce a rich flavor for a quick cooking sauce that does not include meat. It is great over any long strand pastas like spaghetti or fettuccine. In the summer when fresh tomatoes are easy to find, you may substitute the canned tomatoes for 4 – 5 large, ripe Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped for fresher flavor. Ingredients: Fill a pasta pot with salted water and turn heat to high. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the garlic cloves and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until the garlic is just golden brown – do not overcook. Add the anchovies, mash with the back of your fork and cook until they start to melt. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, olives and capers. Stir and simmer over medium heat. Add the spaghetti to the boiling pasta water and cook until al dente – about 8 -10 minutes. Drain the cooked pasta and pour the spaghetti into the skillet with the sauce. Turn the heat of to medium-high and stir the pasta into the sauce. Add the chopped parsley and cook for 1 – 2 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Serve immediately and garnish with the remaining parsley. Traditionally puttanesca pasta is not served with cheese, but you can sprinkle some on the top if you like.
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