Pasta Puttanesca
Don't look up the literal meaning of 'puttanesca', just make this delicious pasta and enjoy.
- 1 (16-oz) box linguini
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 (4½-oz) can sliced black olives
- 1 (8-oz) jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- 1 (3-oz) jar capers, drained
- 1 heaping tbsp bottled chopped garlic
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup prepared pesto
- Grated Parmesan cheese, optional
In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the linguini according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, garlic, crushed red pepper, and oregano, stirring well to mix. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes and the pesto, stirring well to mix. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your liking.
Serve hot over the cooked linguini.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired, and enjoy!
- Serve this dish with some crusty bread to sop up every drop.
- If you can make the sauce the day before, it improves overnight in the refrigerator. Gently reheat it in a saucepan or in the microwave while the pasta is cooking. If you're not totally veggie, use any leftover sauce (or make a new batch) to serve over grilled chicken or fish.
- Imported Italian or Greek olives add a nice flavor when substituted for the canned black olives.
© Cynthia Stevens Graubart & Catherine Fliegel, R.N. 2005
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