PUTTANESCA-ESQUE
A simplified take on the classic Spaghetti Puttanesca. Bursting cherry tomatoes replace the traditional tomato sauce and there are no anchovies in sight. I can speak from experience when I say it’s the perfect dish to eat solo on the couch.
Total Time: 35 minutes
RECIPE
Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook until just a little under al dente (It should still be slightly undercooked in the middle). Drain and save a cup of the pasta water.
While the water is boiling, start the sauce. Heat the 2 tbsps olive oil over a medium-low flame in a wide skillet. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and sauté for 3-5 minutes until the garlic is slightly golden (watch the garlic carefully to make sure it doesn't burn).
Add the tomatoes along with 1/4 tsp salt. Increase the flame to a little over medium. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes have softened, stirring occasionally.
Add the olives and capers and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Increase the skillet's flame to medium-high and add the pasta along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water (it'll seem really watery at first, but it'll thicken up!). Let it cook until the pasta is perfectly al dente, mixing occasionally. Add more water if needed.
6. Turn off the flame. Add the parsley and lemon juice and mix. Adjust for salt and serve with parmesan.
Notes:
I like to cook this dish in the below order to make it as quickly as I can.
Start the sauce as soon as you start boiling the water.
Chop the tomatoes while the garlic is cooking
Chop the olives while the tomatoes are cooking
Chop the parsley while the olives and capers are cooking
To reduce the amount of dishes, use tongs to add the pasta directly from the pot into the pan, eliminating the need for a strainer.
Puttanesca-esque Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 oz dried linguine (I prefer a noodle, but you can any pasta shape of your choice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- grated parmesan for serving
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook until just a little under al dente (It should still be slightly undercooked in the middle). Drain and save a cup of the pasta water.
- While the water is boiling, start the sauce. Heat the 2 tbsps olive oil over a medium-low flame in a wide skillet. Add the garlic and chilli flakes sauté for 3-5 minutes until the garlic is slightly golden (watch the garlic carefully to make sure it doesn't burn).
- Add the tomatoes and increase the flame to a little over medium. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes have softened, stirring occasionally.
- Add the olives and capers and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Increase the skillet's flame to medium-high and add the pasta along with the reserved pasta water (it'll seem really watery at first, but it'll thicken up!). Let it cook until the pasta is perfectly al dente, mixing occasionally.
- Turn off the flame. Add the parsley and lemon juice and mix. Adjust for salt and serve with parmesan.