Puttanesca Sauce
The way I heard it, this simple pasta sauce is named for Italian prostitutes (puttanas) who did not have time to do the fresh food shopping (they were either working or sleeping it off, I guess) and so had to make do with whatever was in the pantry. As this sauce is also known as 'Good Woman's Sauce' there may be some truth here ...
Anyway whatever one's profession, this sauce for pasta is quick and easy and all ingredients can be stored in the pantry.
Serves 2-4.
Ingredients:
|
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped |
1 red chilli, finely chopped; or 1 tspn dried chilli flakes |
|
1 x 400 g tin peeled Italian (Roma) tomatoes |
1 wineglass red wine |
|
1/2 tspn each dried basil and oregano |
salt, pepper |
|
approx a dozen black olives (kalamata are my preferred variety), pitted and shredded |
1-2 tbspn extra virgin olive oil |
Method:
Heat olive oil to medium-low in frying pan. Add chopped garlic and chilli; cook until starting to 'melt' but do not allow to brown.
Add tomatoes with juice, crush to pulp with spatula. Add herbs and seasoning and glass of wine. Simmer until reduced and a nice jammy consistency.
Add black olives, stir through and serve over almost any kind of pasta; spaghettini, fusili, whatever. Oh and another couple of glasses of that red wine, maybe.