penne puttanesca

although i don't remember being a super picky eater as a child,

i feel like puttanesca was always a dish that i dreaded just slightly.

i think i loved most all of the ingredients,

it was just those pesky capers that i couldn't stand.

aren't you glad we all grow up? :)

i love getting older, wiser,

and more appreciative of the things we took for granted in our youth.

this dish included :)

i used a recipe from my father's daughter,

although i think it was pretty basic.

overall, easy and delish.

ingredients

coarse salt

3/4 pound whole wheat penne

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled, thinly sliced

pinch of red chile flakes

5 olive oil packed spanish anchovies, chopped

1/3 cup pitted nicoise olives

1 heaping tablespoon capers

2 cups marinara sauce

(from scratch or a jar)

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

directions

1. cook pasta according to package directions

2. meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.

add garlic and chile flakes. cook about 1 minute.

3. add anchovies and stir for another minute, or until they begin to break down.

add olives & capers, crushing the olives gently with a wooden spoon & cook for 1 minute

or until quite fragrant – it should smell divine!

4. stir in the marinara sauce & black pepper.

turn heat to high, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium

let it bubble for about 10 minutes, or until quite thickened.

5. when pasta is done, drain & reserve a few tablespoons of pasta cooking water.

add pasta to skillet with the sauce & stir to coat,

adding a bit of pasta water if necessary to get the sauce to the right consistency

(it shouldn’t be too thick, but also not too soupy)

6. enjoy!