Capers, olives, and anchovies… oh my! If anchovies scare you, PLEASE don’t let them turn your back on this one. Each of those three ingredients are what make puttanesca, well, puttanesca. The richness of the tomato sauce really balances out the salinity. If you want to wow your friends and family, this should be the next meal you make for them!

Recipe by: The Culinary Nest

MAKES

6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 1/2 teaspoons capers, drained

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

8 garlic cloves, minced

6-8 small jarred anchovy fillets, finely chopped

1 cup black olives, pitted and chopped

1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes

1 pound linguine pasta

**Tip: I always recommend spending a little more on the higher quality pastas, it really does make a difference in both taste and texture.

METHOD

• In a medium sized skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. You want there to be enough oil to have a nice layer covering the bottom on you pan. When the oil is heated, add the capers and let them bubble and fry gently for about 2-3 minutes (if you find the oil is spitting a lot, turn the heat down to medium low). When the capers begin to float, add the garlic and crushed red pepper and 2-3 minutes or until the garlic begins to slightly turn translucent. Next, stir in the anchovies and black olives for one minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and crush the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Allow the sauce to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

• While the sauce simmers, cook your pasta using a large pot in about 6 quarts of very salted water (add at least 1/4 cup water, trust me) until al dente. Follow the timing instructions on the pasta brand chosen. Reserve a cup of pasta water once the noodles are done cooking in case you need to adjust the sauce.

• Time to plate! Place the cooked pasta in a warmed serving dish and cover with the sauce, tossing to coat evenly. If needed, add some pasta water if the sauce needs to go further to cover it all. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, or more crushed red pepper if desired. Serve immediately.