The Silver Palate: Pasta Puttanesca

This recipe is another winner from the Silver Palate. The pasta puttanesca was extremely easy to make and the sauce was tangy and salty with a meat like texture from the shredded olives and capers. My sources (aka wikipedia and my knowledge of Spanish curse words) tell me that pasta puttanesca is also know as "whore's spaghetti." Wikipedia lists several likely origins of the sauce's name, however my favorite is that is a meal easy enough for a whore to make between customers. Whatever the origin of the name, the anchovies in the base of the sauce creates a great umami to couple with the brininess of the capers and black olives. With my love of capers, I definitely be making this sauce again either to be served over pasta or with warm fresh bread and a salad.

Pasta Puttanesca

1/2 cup olive oil
1 can (2 ounces) anchovy fillets, undrained
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 large can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, drained
1 jar capers (2 1/2 ounces), drained
1 1/2 cups pitted black olives coarsely chopped (I used on whole can of black pitted olives)
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan. Saute the garlic and anchovies. Use a wooden spoon to mash these ingredients until they make a paste.
2. Run the can of drained olives through the food processor until they are coarsely chopped, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, capers, and olives to the saucepan. Use the wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes by pressing them against the side of the pot. Continue stirring over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for an hour, stirring occasionally. For a less chunky sauce, continue to break up the tomatoes with the wooden spoon while you stir. Season with a few twists from the pepper grinder before serving over hot thin spaghetti.

Note: This sauce does not need salt! Also, this recipe serves four appetizer portions, but probably only three hearty portions. Double if you plan on feeding four or more people.