made one of the lady sparkler’s favorites tonight, pasta with a puttanesca sauce. she thinks it’s all about the olives, but it’s the capers that hold everything together.

full recipe after the jump — adapted from a Linguine-with-Puttanesca-Sauce recipe on epicurious.

main ingredients:

  • 1 lb tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons bottled capers, drained and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh basil, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar (balsamic works in a pinch)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

for the pasta:

  • whatever you want to cook (we used refrigerator-section cheese tortellini)
  • shredded romano cheese

cooking instructions:

  1. chop everything (tomatoes, olives, capers, basil, garlic). mix in bowl with red pepper, vinegar and olive oil.
  2. cook pasta as desired.
  3. sauce can be served cold, but is probably better if simmered over medium heat until the liquids have reduced into a honest-to-goodness sauce. about 10 minutes.
  4. plate (pasta, sauce) and romano cheese to taste.