Pappardelle Puttanesca

• This simple pasta is inexpensive and comes together in 20 minutes or less, which makes it the ideal candidate for a weeknight dinner (or lazy weekend dinner if you’re sick like me!). Also makes a good Lent Friday dish. Simply saute garlic and dried chiles in olive oil, add tomatoes and anchovies, simmer, then stir in some olives and capers.
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Pappardelle Puttanesca
Leftovers are really good, so make the whole batch and enjoy all week. If you have an aversion to anchovies (or are Vegetarian), you can leave them out, but I highly recommend you give them a try. They add a really subtle flavor, not at all overwhelming. (Seriously!)

1 lb. pappardelle pasta
2 tbsp. LunaOlivo Chili Garlic olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
8 dried chiles (I used chiles de arbol...use less if you don't like too much spice)
28 oz. can of fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (I love Muir Glen)
4 oz. anchovy filets, packed in oil, oil drained
1/2 cup pitted, chopped black olives
2 tbsp. capers, rinsed thoroughly
2 tbsp. Italian Parsley leaves, chopped

Set a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, heat the oil then add the garlic and chiles. Cook for 2 minutes or until the garlic just begins to brown, then add the anchovies and tomatoes and reduce to medium-low, stirring often. When the anchovies have dissolved into the sauce, stir in the olives and capers and turn the heat to low.

While the sauce simmers, make the pasta. Set a large pot of water to boil. Normally, I advise salting the water heavily, but since this sauce is chock-full of briny capers, anchovies and olives, I’d skip the pasta water salt. When it comes to a rapid boil, add the pasta and cook until almost al dente, but still not done.

Using tongs, transfer the pasta directly from the cooking water into the skillet with the sauce, tossing with the sauce as you go. You may need to use a slotted spoon to get all the pasta out. Toss in the skillet for a couple of minutes to finish cooking the pasta, then serve and sprinkle with the parsley.

Makes 4 – 6 servings, depending on how hungry people are :)