# Pasta Puttanesca



## bigwheel (May 26, 2006)

This recipe came from a real nice lady named Wendy Hufnagle. It so good it will make you want to slap somebody's mama and it do not require cooking cept for boiling up the pasta. 

bigwheel

>Wendy Hufnagle..aka ~W aka Agent ~W said this one time. 

PASTA PUTTANESCA (literally "Pasta in the Style of the Whore")

This is my spin:

1-2 bunches fresh basil, unwashed, leaves rolled and julienned (I like lots!)
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 c good quality olive oil
3 c or more tomatoes, cherry or Roma, but at least vine-ripened, not
hothouse
mashed anchovy filets (I use probably 12-14) to taste, or anchovy paste to taste (really, they're not overpowering, very mellow in the finished product, not fishy)
one entire bulb (not clove) of garlic, peeled and chopped or pressed
1 1/2 c good quality Greek black olives, pitted (do not use canned!)
dash of red pepper flakes (optional)
freshly ground black pepper to taste (optional)
julienned roasted red pepper to taste (optional)
capers (optional...not too many, the anchovies make it plenty salty)
@ 12 oz. dried pasta*
freshly grated Parmigianno-Reggiano cheese

In a covered casserole, mix the olive oil, garlic and black olives. The
olives can be easily pitted just by squeezing them between your fingers. If using cherry tomatoes, cut in half. Any larger tomatoes cut into small wedges. Add along with the anchovies or anchovy paste and basil leaves, and any other optional ingredients you decide to add. Mix in the morning on a sunny summer day and leave it to sit outside in the warm sun all day in a covered casserole. In the spring or fall, it can be 'cooked' in a warm
sunny spot in front of a closed window. It can also be warmed in a slow
oven until heated through. You don't want it to be hot.

Cook your pasta al dente and drain. Pour sauce over, add parmesan cheese to taste, and serve with good crusty bread to mop up the extra sauce. Leftovers keep well under refrigeration for 1 week. Just warm to serve. The flavors just keep improving. Remember, never serve hot.

*Use a pasta such as shells, bowtie, orecchiette or even penne...something that will soak up and hold the sauce. I think this is a very sensual, sexy dinner for two people to share with a good bottle of wine. Don't cut the bread, just rip pieces off...the jagged edges catch the sauce better.

I do all the things I have listed as optional, but it's a matter of taste.
Try the sun method if you can...I think it tastes better, but it may be all
in my head. ~W


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## suzanne (May 26, 2001)

Hmmm -- add this to the list of "sun-cooked" dishes. Never heard of it being done that way, but hey, why not? I don't have consistent sunlight, so I always do the cooking in a pan on top of the stove, just until the anchovies melt and the tomatoes soften. And I add a LOT of red pepper flakes, to make it really spicy. 

This is one of my go-to dishes :lips: -- can throw it together using good- quality canned tomatoes if necessary, and it only takes the time for boiling the pasta.


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## bigwheel (May 26, 2006)

Hey Suzanne..same here. First I ever heard of the basic stove top recipe was back in the late 80's or real early 90's when I stumbled over a paperback cookbook called "365 Ways to Cook Pasta." Found the cooked version from the book to be muy bueno and it instantly became my favorite pasta dish. The warden even liked it till she spotted me smashing up the anchovies to go in it once upon a time Sorta got out of the habit of making it..lost the book etc..then in about 2000 noticed Wendy mention the recipe title in a post to an email chat forum to which we both belonged. Course did not take me long to beg and nag the recipe outta her..which turned out to be the sun cooked version. Will gladly testify..it's some wonderful stuff. Hope you try it soonish

bigwheel


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## cliveb (Mar 16, 2005)

THAT is a riproaring recipe for puttanesca - I'd imagine it might be close to what was originally prepared! Excellent!


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## nowiamone (Jan 23, 2005)

I think I remember that book, also, lost it many years (25) ago in a house fire. Seemed like it had a recipe for a pasta with sauteed cauliflower sauce, book's author said she made for her son in law???? Would like to see that recipe again, if the book is handy.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

My GodFather just turned over in his grave. scuzza


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## oldschool1982 (Jun 27, 2006)

Hey Pan (Gumba),

Ditto!


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

:smoking:


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## bigwheel (May 26, 2006)

Well since I got way too much free time on my hands..went and done a little goggling on your behalf. Found a bunch of places to buy the book and quite a few recipes for whut you are seeking..but none which claimed to be ver batim from the book. Here is one of the simpliest ones I found. Saw others which called for rasins..pine nuts..bread crumbs..other veggies etc. Apparently there is a lot of variants of the dish.

http://www.davita.com/recipes/rice_pasta_bread/?id=111

bigwheel


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## nowiamone (Jan 23, 2005)

Big wheel, 
Thanks for your time and effort. I took-a-look a the recipe you sited. What I remember about the other one was the coaxing of all of the flavor from the caramelization of the cauliflower, (no chicken broth). I think the reason it stands out in my mind, is that when I found the recipe, it was in my younger days (hmmm) at a time that I was just discovering the effort and reward of a decent sautee' (not so low as to steam, and not so high as to fry) I remember lots of garlic (has to be good, right?) Seems like it finished with some anchovy, capers and pepper flakes. May haved to go play with this today!

NowIamone


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

*NowIamone*,

Let us know how it turns out and what you think.


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## bigwheel (May 26, 2006)

Well hope you get something useful from the exchange. I got a lot of faults..bab habits etc..but aint nobody ever accused me of not trying to be helpful to my pals. I dont tend to make friends easily as you may have noticed. So I jotting your name down in my pal book as we speak if you dont mind. Swear I did not even know a person could make sphaghettie sauce out of califlower till you mentioned it. Thanks so much for broadening my horizons so to speak. 

your pal,

bigwheel


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Hey Bigwheel,
You mean you're not I'talian? Could of fooled me!!
Since you don't make friends easy I'd thought I tell you there's a cup coffee or a limited lunch waiting for ya at the bakery. Just head on over to Dallas.
Panini
6063 Sherry


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## bigwheel (May 26, 2006)

Well thanks for the invite. Dont get over to Big D too much so not sure how long it be to take you up on the offer. Will definitely put a visit to bakery on the agenda.

bigwheel


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

There's no rush, just signed a 15 yr lease


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