Pasta Puttanesca

I tried this Pasta Puttanesca recipe after watching an episode of “Sam The Cooking Guy” on TV. It’s really easy to make and it tasted great. In his show, he says that the recipe serves six, but I found that it really only makes three big servings. And that’s what I based the (approximate) nutritional information on. This is a great recipe because it can be made with items found on-hand in your pantry.

Here’s how WikiPedia describes pasta puttanesca:

“The name originated in Naples after the local prostitutes, Pasta alla Puttanesca meaning “Pasta the way a whore would make it”. The reason why the dish gained such a name is debated, though the most obvious contrast — with alla casalinga, simple “home-style” tomato sauce which has been “tarted up”, as the English would say— is ignored for livelier original legends. One possibility is that the name is a reference to the sauce’s hot, spicy flavour and pungent smell. Another is that the dish was offered to prospective customers at a low price to entice them into a brothel. According to chef Jeff Smith of the Frugal Gourmet, its name came from the fact that it was a quick, cheap meal that prostitutes could prepare between customers.”

Wow! What an unsavory past for such a simple and savory dish!

Pasta Puttanesca Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Anchovy Paste
• 3 Large Cloves Garlic Minced
• 1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Capers
• 5 Ounces Kalamata Olives, Coarsely Chopped
• 1 28oz Can Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Pound of Spaghetti or Linguini Pasta
• Fresh grated Parmesan

And here’s how you make it:

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan.
2. Add the anchovy paste and garlic and sauté for about a minute.
3. Add the tomatoes, capers, olives and red pepper and simmer for 15 to 30 minutes
4. Serve over your favorite pasta and top with fresh parmesan

Nutritional Information

• 767 Calories
• 34g Fat
• 98g Carbs
• 18g Protein