Pasta Puttanesca

If you like punchy flavours this is the recipe for you, It's called Puttanesca pasta which roughly translates as 'whore's pasta ' or as Nigella put's it slightly more elegantly 'slut's spaghetti'. This was apparently because it only takes about fifteen minutes to make and so a lady of the night could whip up her dinner quickly between clients. 

 I don't know how true that is but I know it makes a very tasty and quick dinner and if you have never tried capers  give them a try or if you think that the anchovies will make it taste fishy I can assure you it doesn't they sort of melt into the sauce and just give a delicious rich flavour. 

I often hear people say they are bored with the same old recipes so give it a try it's really inexpensive and once you have the capers and olives in you can make it easily from the store cupboard and fridge. 

Pasta Puttanesca 

1 tin anchovies (50g tin drained of all oil)

2 tbsp capers (drained and rinsed)

50g sliced black olives 

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1/2 tsp chili flakes (more if you like it hotter)

400g dry pasta 

low calorie spray oil

Put a large pan of salted water on to boil as the sauce is made pretty quickly, Spray a wok or deep frying pan with spray oil. Chop the anchovies quite finely and add to the wok or frying pan. Cook over a medium heat and using a spoon stir and mix the anchovies so they start to melt into the pan it just takes a few minutes. 

Add the chili flakes, garlic and capers then stir well and add the chopped tomatoes and sliced olives. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and add the pasta to the pan of boiling water and cook until tender. 

When the pasta is cooked take a small cup of the pasta water and set aside it helps to thicken the sauce. Drain the pasta and add the pasta to the pan with the sauce in  with some of the reserved pasta water and mix well together for a few minutes until combined. 

Serves 4 at 1 syn each