Chef Becker’s Pasta Puttanesca

Do you know the legend behind Pasta Puttanesca?

Resident Chef Scott Becker at Binny's Highland Park recently shared the tale where Neapolitan prostitutes needed a sauce they could make in between customers. Using available ingredients; anchovies, garlic, onion & tomatoes, they made a quick & easy sauce for pasta. Chef Becker’s creation includes capers & olives for a satisfying, savory & super flavorful dish!

Simple Ingredients

·      ½ cup Villa Graziella Organic, Extra Virgin Olio Nuovo olive oil, plus extra to flavor

·      1-28 ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed

·      12 oz Kalamata black olives, pitted & halved

·      15 anchovy filets, chopped

·      12 garlic cloves, peeled & thinly sliced

·      1 ½ cup of capers

·      1 red onion, diced

·      Red pepper chili flakes 

·      Sea salt & cracked pepper

·      Chopped fresh parsley, optional

Easy Directions

1.     In a large pot, over medium heat, lightly sauté onion, garlic & anchovies in olive oil until the garlic & onion begin to brown

2.     Add capers & olives to the pot, cook 2 minutes

3.     Add crushed tomatoes including the juice

4.     Season with black pepper & chili flakes to taste

5.     Reduce heat to low, simmer until sauce thickens & flavors blend, about 1 hour

6.     Cook pasta, (linguine or other long shaped pasta) according directions

7.     Drain pasta & toss with sauce & 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

8.     Adjust seasonings & oil to taste

9.     Garnish with chopped parsley

10.  Serve immediately, enjoy with Villa Graziella Organic Chianti DOCG red wine

Expert tip; Careful how much salt is added to the water as all the ingredients are very salty, as the sauce cooks, the salty flavors will become more concentrated & pronounced. This sauce freezes well, make a large batch & freeze in smaller portions.

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