A vibrant sauce takes makes only minutes to prepare – this is one of my favorite dishes ~ Buon appetito! Puttanesca Sauce is big on flavor! Use fresh tomatoes if you can; the rest are pantry ingredients.
Tomatoes are still on the vine ~ the perfect time to bring them home and preserve them for the cooler Winter months… and try some creative recipes using them.
My Pasta Puttanesca is made in minutes, cook the pasta al dente as you cook the sauce. I can’t believe I have not shared this recipe before… it’s one of my favorites!
The sauce is cooked in a big skillet – pasta is folded in, then served
Chock full of fresh tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic, parsley, anchovies and extra virgin olive oil. An Italian robust sauce with sweet and salty flavors.
Originating In Naples, Italy:
This simple and vibrant sauce includes peeled tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, parsley and extra virgin olive oil. Italians do not add grated parmesan on pasta that includes fish (anchovies) – and it is wonderful without it!
Parsley is an element of the sauce, not a mere garnish.
You might be wondering – where is the basil? That’s up to you, but it imparts a sweet anise essence that is not classically “Puttanesca.”
The finest ingredients make the best Puttanesca Sauce!
Puttanesca is a healthy Italian Sauce as the main ingredient is fresh tomatoes with all their lycopene antioxidants and a punch of umami – and other Mediterranean diet ingredients: olives, capers, garlic, anchovies and extra virgin olive oil.
Italians eat about 3 ounces of dried pasta as a serving, so the sauce is all balanced and plentiful.
For extra protein you could add some more anchovies.
Tomatoes are still on the vine until a hard frost.
There are so many varieties to choose from ~ visit a Farmers’ Market!
These are called “seconds” – very economical! Ripe and delicious… just cut away any blemished spots.
Enjoy this wonderful Summer Sauce (make extra and freeze for cooler months.)
Karen
Also see: How to Make Fresh Tomato Sauce
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Karen’s Pasta Puttanesca with Fresh Tomatoes
A vibrant sauce takes makes only minutes to prepare – this is one of my favorite dishes ~ Buon appetito! Puttanesca Sauce is big on flavor! Use fresh tomatoes if you can; the rest are pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled* , Plum or amish paste
- 12 ounces dried pasta, such as linguine (Italian bronze cut)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic , sliced garlic (use 3T. if your a garlic lover!)
- 3 whole anchovy filets, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoons dried red chiles, seeds removed, crumbled (more if you like spicy)
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives, half whole, half cut in half (Kalamata or Bella di Cerignola)
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 3 tablespoons parsley, cleaned and dried, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Peel 5 large fresh plum tomatoes or 3 larger tomatoes, seed them, and save the tomato juice, see recipe. Cut tomatoes in 3/4 inch pieces. See below for method.
- Boil water and cook pasta al dente at the same time you start the sauce. (Drain pasta and add to the sauce with one tablespoon of the cooking water.)
- In a large skillet add olive oil, sliced garlic and anchovies. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring for 5 minutes until the garlic has softened – do not let the garlic brown.
- Add the peeled fresh tomatoes (seeded) with their juice. Give them a big stir and cook, stirring – raising heat to medium for 5 minutes. Add olives, capers and parsley.Cook over medium heat until the flavors blend, 3 minutes.
- Taste for salt add a few pinches if desired. Hint: anchovies and olives have a good amount of salt, so best to taste the sauce.
- Add the just cooked a la dente pasta to the sauce in the skillet with a tablespoon of its cooking water, and give a big stir.
- Serve the Pasta Puttanesca with a garnish of small parley sprigs. I do not add parmesan cheese – Italians rarely mix fish (anchovies) with cheese…your call!
Notes
Cooking & Peeling Fresh Tomatoes:
Add water to a large pot. Bring to a boil.
Cut out the round blossom end of the tomatoes with a sharp paring knife.
Cut and “x” on the bottom of the tomato (this helps the peel loosen when cooked.) When water boils, add the tomatoes and cover. After one minute – take a peek and look for the tomatoes skins pulling away from the tomato meat. Take tomatoes out of water with a slotted spoon place in a bowl to hold. (Cook tomatoes a little longer if the skins have not loosened.) Let the tomatoes cool so you can handle then, peel all in a clean sink, discarding the skins. Cut the tomatoes in 3/4 inch pieces and SAVE the juices to add to the sauce. Can use Italian San Marzano Peeled Plum Tomatoes (best fresh, but ok.) This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Add water to a large pot. Bring to a boil.
Cut out the round blossom end of the tomatoes with a sharp paring knife.
Cut and “x” on the bottom of the tomato (this helps the peel loosen when cooked.) When water boils, add the tomatoes and cover. After one minute – take a peek and look for the tomatoes skins pulling away from the tomato meat. Take tomatoes out of water with a slotted spoon place in a bowl to hold. (Cook tomatoes a little longer if the skins have not loosened.) Let the tomatoes cool so you can handle then, peel all in a clean sink, discarding the skins. Cut the tomatoes in 3/4 inch pieces and SAVE the juices to add to the sauce. Can use Italian San Marzano Peeled Plum Tomatoes (best fresh, but ok.) This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
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