Pasta Puttanesca

Puttanesca is a delightfully punchy tomato sauce made with salty olives, briny capers, and a bit of anchovy paste. In addition to being tasty, it sauce can be prepared about as quickly as you can boil and cook the pasta making for a perfect mid-week meal!

With the exception of the anchovy paste, I usually have the ingredients for this recipe tucked away in my pantry and fridge. But seeing as how delicious and simple a dinner this makes, I may just start keeping anchovy paste on hand as well.

Now, I'm bucking tradition a bit by adding cannellini beans. But I feel quite strongly that every dinner hitting my table should include a protein. I opted for beans - they are a creamy foil to the spunky sauce. Alternatively, a bit of canned albacore tuna also compliments the pasta well. And if I'm being totally transparent, I believe tradition would also call for black olives rather than Greek kalamata olives. But you know what, I always have kalamata olives in my pantry, and frankly, I prefer the flavor. So tradition be damned!

Pasta Puttanesca is easy and flavor-packed. You can be sure I'm adding this recipe to my regular dinner rotation.

Pasta Puttanesca

Ingredients

· 2 tbsp olive oil

· 6 garlic cloves, minced

· 1 tbsp anchovy paste

· 15oz canned petite diced tomatoes

· 15oz canned crushed tomatoes

· ½ tsp garlic powder

· ½ tsp onion powder

· ½ tsp dried oregano

· ½ tsp dried basil

· ½ tsp salt

· ¼ tsp pepper

· Pinch of crushed red pepper, optional

· ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

· 1 tbsp capers, drained

· 15oz canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, optional

· 1lb penne pasta

· 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

· ¼ cup ricotta salata or pecorino romano cheese, grated

Heat olive oil over medium low heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and anchovy paste. Fry until just fragrant – do not allow the garlic to burn. Add the diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes to the pan. Stir in the spices, olives, capers, and beans. Simmer over low heat until ready to serve.

While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta in an abundance of salted, boiling water per package instructions.

Toss the cooked pasta in the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the fresh parsley and cheese over the pasta and serve.

Serves 4

Notes

Swap the cannellini beans for canned albacore tuna for a twist. Or nix the beans and tuna all together for a more classic sauce!

Gluten Free Friendly!

Swap the pasta for your favorite gluten free brand! I recommend Barilla.