Paul's [recipe] Corner

This is from Episode Six of the Food Trail.

I have posted it here a second time so as it stays a part of the food trail series of recipes - but yes it is exactly the same as I have posted before.

This is one of my favorites! It is named after the prostitutes who, needing a good feed to keep their energy up would cook it in between clients - thus it became known as ‘pasta of the whore’ or puttanesca! Traditionally it was made with black olives but I love it with Spanish stuffed green.

olive oil
2 cloves of garlic - finely shopped
one or two small red chilies - finely chopped with seeds if you like that extra bit of heat
6 or so anchovies - from a jar and chopped
handful of capers - chopped chunky
1 cup or so of Spanish green stuffed olives - each cut into three bits
2 large tomatoes -chopped
one bunch of fresh basil
Spaghetti – approx 100g per person
Parmesan Cheese

The reason the prostitutes liked this meal is that it was very fast to prepare. It takes as long to make as it does the water to boil and the pasta to cook! Put your water on to boil and salt well - I do not put oil in my water, some people suggest it will stop the pasta sticking together but I reckon it will stop the sauce from sticking to the pasta! If you don’t want the pasta to stick - stir it!! Whilst the water is coming up to the boil chop and prepare all the ingredients.

I do the measurements of the ingredients by the handful and to my taste so you will have to experiment to gain the right balance for you. Just remember it is a rustic dish! The above is really for two as a main meal with a little left over for lunch. I do work to the rule of one large tomato per person when cooking this dish - vine ripened of course!!

Add pasta to boiling water. Then heat oil in a fry pan, add garlic and chilli and cook for a minute or so. Do not brown garlic. Add the anchovies and stir until melted into the sauce. Add capers and heat through then add olives and heat through. Now add tomatoes and cook the sauce adding torn basil leaves by the handful as you go. I do not add any salt or pepper as there is plenty of flavour in the sauce and certainly enough salt thanks to the anchovies, olives and capers. Add pepper if you wish.

It is up to you as to how cooked you want the sauce. You can serve it quite fresh i.e. more like the ingredients have been thoroughly warmed through and the flavours combined or you can cook it down for five or so minutes.

Drain the al dente pasta and return to the pot then take a spoonful or two of the sauce and mix through the hot pasta to coat and then serve into bowls. Top with the sauce and a few left over torn basil leaves. Serve with lots of fresh grated parmesan cheese. You could also add the pasta to the fry pan with the sauce mixing thoroughly before serving.