Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta Puttanesca

from epicurious.com
30 min
6 servings

Our take on this dish, famously named for the fact that Italy's "ladies of the evening" quickly made it between clients, is just as fast and easy as the original and requires nothing more than some everyday items you probably have in your pantry already.

Ingredients

  • 1 pounddried spaghetti, spaghettini, or linguine fini
  • 5garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press
  • 2 teaspoonsanchovy paste
  • ½ teaspoonhot red-pepper flakes
  • ⅓ cupextra-virgin olive oil
  • 1can whole tomatoes in juice (preferably italian)
  • ½ cuppitted kalamata olives
  • 2 tablespoonsdrained capers
  • sugar (optional)
  • ¾ cupcoarsely chopped basil

Directions

  1. 1

    Cook spaghetti in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 1/2 Tbsp salt for 6 qt water) until barely al dente.

  2. 2

    While pasta boils, cook garlic, anchovy paste, red-pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile, purée tomatoes with juice in a blender.

  4. 4

    Add tomato purée to garlic oil along with olives and capers and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is ready. Stir in sugar if desired.

  5. 5

    Drain pasta and add to sauce. Simmer, turning pasta with tongs, until pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.