Pasta is one of those foods that you can easily devour. It seems that no matter how big and deep the bowl of pasta is, you can continue eating until you feel so bloated that you cannot move. We don’t necessarily condone this way of eating, but we understand that pasta is hard to resist, especially when the recipe is as tasty as this one.
This pasta puttanesca hits nearly every flavor note you want, except for sweet. The acidity of the capers and tomatoes blends with the spice of the red pepper flakes and briny kalamata olive flavor. The herbaceous parsley, which is an optional ingredient, offers a freshness that your palate craves. One key element that enhances the flavor of this pasta puttanesca is the pasta water. Adding pasta water to your sauce is a chef’s trick that enhances the flavor of most pasta dishes. It also helps to cut the acidity of the other ingredients in this sauce.
The great thing about this pasta dish is that the sauce does not take a very long time to cook. Because of that, you can cook the pasta while preparing the sauce. They cook simultaneously and then you can have dinner ready in under 20 minutes. Isn’t that a beautiful thing? If you prefer more spice, feel free to add more red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Prep Time:10m
- Cook Time:10m
- Total Time:20m
- Serves: 4 servings
- Category: Entrees, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 box linguine
- 1/3 c olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2/3 c kalamata olives, pitted
- 1/4 c capers
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp. red pepper flakes
- sea salt & pepper, to taste
- 1/2 c pasta water
- 1/2 c parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for your pasta. While the water is heating up, prepare your puttanesca ingredients.
- Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook according to the box instructions. Make sure to mix regularly to avoid clumping. Drain once the pasta is al dente (cooked, but with a little bit of texture). Remember to reserve a half-cup of pasta water for the sauce.
- While the pasta is boiling, add the olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Warm for 30 seconds and then add the garlic and shallots, cooking for one minute before adding the olives, capers, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes.
- Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Season with sea salt and pepper and stir frequently while your pasta cooks.
- Add the 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce and then add the cooked linguine to the sauce, stirring and cooking for a minute or two so that the noodles can absorb the flavor of the sauce. During this minute, feel free to add the optional parsley. Serve and enjoy.
