Here’s a dish that you don’t want to explain to your girlfriend’s mother. “Ummm, so the name mean’s whore’s pasta, and it—-I, I should probably just leave.”
Wikipedia actually lists several possibly origins and meanings for the dish’s name. The most popular version seems to be that prostitues would make this dish to attract customers with it’s strong scent. That seems a bit suspect to me as a strong smelling prostitute would probably be one to avoid. Another popular theory was that the dish was so quick, easy, fast, and cheap that they could make it between customers without losing much business. Hmmm…. “quick, easy, fast, cheap” used in the same paragraph as the word “prostitutes”… Coincidence?
Should this really be called whore's pasta?
Whatever the source of the name, it does make for a very easily made, inexpensive dish. The ingredients are simple and very flavorful. I don’t know of many meals that pack quite the pungency of this one for as few ingredients as are used. If you are a fan of olives, flavorful sauces, and a little bit of heat, this sauce is for you.
While I’m talking about pungent ingredients, I feel the need to mention that I don’t understand why anchovies commonly get such a bad rap. They are packed with umami and pair fantastically with meats and vegetables. If you have never earnestly given anchovies a try, you really should. Anchovies or anchovy like things probably show up in more ingredients and dishes than you imagine.
Pasta Puttanesca
The preparation should take less time than it takes to bring a pot of water to boil and the noodles to cook. This is really quick people, go for it.
Pasta Puttanesca
Ingredients
4 garlic cloves, minced
table salt
1 lb spaghetti
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 tsps minced anchovies (8-10 fillets)
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, drained, 1/2 cup juice reserved
3 tbsps capers, rinsed
2/3 cup Kalamata olives (or other black olives), pitted and chopped coarse
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add the pasta. Cook until al dente.
2. While the water is heating/pasta is cooking in Step 1, heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Once hot add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and anchovies. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant but nothing browns, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.
3. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the reserved tomato juice and toss once to mix. Add the contents of the skillet, capers, and olives to the pasta and toss to combine. Add more tomato juice if there is not enough liquid.
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