Puttanesca Sauce
Thanks to Mary La Moda who gave me a verbal recitation of this rich, delicious sauce so many moons ago. It has seen many renditions over the decades, but no matter the version, it always proves a great base for a heartwarming, comforting, and economical meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 28 ounce can Italian crushed tomatoes
- 1 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce
- 10 Kalamata olives pitted and halved
- 10 Castelvetrano olives pitted and halved
- 1 tablespoon capers with caper juice
- 6 anchovy fillets chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high heat, and saute onions for a few minutes to soften. Stir occasionally so they don't burn. Add garlic, and saute a couple minutes more, again, stirring so they don't burn.
- Add tomatoes and sauce to the pot, and blend well.
- Add the olives, capers with juice, chopped anchovies, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes, and stir thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Let the sauce cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the flavors can meld a bit. If you leave it on the heat longer than that, make sure you turn the heat down to low, and stir occasionally so it doesn't burn on the bottom. Can you tell I have burned a fair share of sauces in my day? Most sauces taste better when they are cooked low and slow over time so the flavors can develop fully, but this sauce is actually perfect when you don't have time to wait, and will taste pretty amazing even after only ten minutes.
- Serve over the pasta of your choice and top with plenty of grated cheese.