Spaghetti with Fresh Puttanesca

We were on a cruise recently and the ship we were on had a separate pizza restaurant! So of course we had pizza a few times. The varieties were extensive — the chef made pizzas with all sorts of toppings. Mostly I like (and ate) plain pizza Margherita, sometimes topped with arugula, but one time I chose Puttanesca. It was an OMG moment.

Puttanesca is not for everyone. It’s salty and very tangy.

But I absolutely love it.

I’ve made Puttanesca sauce for spaghetti many times, usually with canned San Marzano tomatoes. But the plum tomatoes at the market recently were too good to pass up, so I went to my trusted recipe drawer, “sauce folder” and found my fresh tomato version. It was as good as I had remembered.

Here it is:

Spaghetti with Fresh Puttanesca Sauce

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 anchovies, chopped (or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste)

• 4-5 large plum tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• pinch or two of crushed red pepper

• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2-3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

• 12-15 mixed pitted black and green imported olives, cut coarsely

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the anchovies (or paste), mix briefly, then add the tomatoes, basil and red pepper. Cook, over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 7-8 minutes. Stir in the capers and olives and cook for another 5-6 minutes or until it has reached the desired consistency (use 2 tablespoons of capers if you want it less tangy).

Makes enough for 1/2 pound pasta

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Some people are lucky enough to grow tomatoes and by this time in August the vines in their gardens are hanging low with red, ripe, wonderful stuff waiting to be picked.

Some of those lucky people have so many tomatoes they don’t even know what to do with them.

I am not one of those people. As I have written, I got two measly little tomatoes from the plants I tried to grow in my backyard. 

But a friend took pity on me as she does every year. Because this happens every year. She nods her head at my pathetic little tomato patch and brings me a whole harvest from hers. I am so lucky to have her in my life (for many reasons).

I know what to do with those tomatoes too. After having my fill on sandwiches, eating them with avocados and stuffing and baking them as a side dish, I make red sauce for spaghetti.

Red sauce made with fresh tomatoes is an entirely different thing than the kind made with canned. I am not saying either is better. Just different.

See for yourself. This recipe is really easy:

Fresh Tomato Sauce

•  16-18 plum tomatoes or 8 large tomatoes

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat a large pot of water. When it comes to a boil, add the tomatoes. Cook for 20 seconds. Drain the tomatoes under cold water. Pierce the tomato near the stem end with the tip of a sharp knife and pull back to remove the skin. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze out the seeds. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the tomatoes, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-30 minutes, or until it has reached the desired consistency.

Makes enough for one pound of pasta (about 3 cups)