Just about every time I make a pasta sauce without a recipe, it turns into some form of puttanesca. I can’t seem to help it. Some nights, it’s a little chunkier, other nights a little smoother. An extra shake or two of the jar of crushed red-pepper flakes and it’s spicier. With green olives and basil, it’s a touch lighter and more herbaceous. With oil-cured olives and parsley, a bit earthier.
That’s the beautiful thing about back-pocket pasta dishes: You can return to them time and again, and make them your own. I think of puttanesca as Italy’s ultimate simple, pantry-friendly sauce. The name famously refers to prostitutes, with stories (most of them seemingly debunked by historians) attributing the connection to the fact that the dish was quick to make between clients – or so aromatic that it helped prostitutes attract them.
The key to making the dish is to have no fear of its pungency and spice. I like to throw in half a cup of olives and a quarter-cup of capers,; anything less than a teaspoon of crushed red-pepper flakes, meanwhile, is too timid for my taste. I don’t use the traditional anchovy anymore, but I do sometimes add canned beans (garbanzos or cannellini) for their heartiness and protein.
They’re pantry staples, so in my book, they fit the spirit of puttanesca.
Spaghetti Puttanesca with Cannellini Beans
Servings: 6
OVERVIEW: Salt-packed capers are more flavorful than brined, but if you use brined, just drain them without soaking.
INGREDIENTS:½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1 medium yellow onion, chopped4 cloves garlic, chopped½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes1¾ cups cooked or no-salt-added canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (from one 14.5-ounce can)One 28-ounce can pureed or crushed tomatoes½ cup pitted oil-packed black olives, chopped (may substitute Kalamata olives)¼ cup salt-packed capers, soaked in warm water for at least 15 minutes and drained (see overview)¼ cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1 pound dried spaghettiMethod:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat; add a generous pinch of salt and reduce the heat to low. Cover to keep it hot while you make the sauce.
Pour the oil into a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Stir in the ½ teaspoon salt, black pepper and red-pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, for 30 seconds.
Stir in the cannellini beans, tomatoes, olives and drained capers. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, until the sauce darkens and thickens and its flavors meld. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice; taste and add more salt, as needed. Keep covered over the lowest heat setting.
While the sauce is cooking, increase the heat under the large pot of salted water so it returns to a boil, then add the spaghetti. Cook according to the package directions, until al dente.
Drain, toss with the sauce and serve right away. Garnish each portion with more parsley.
NUTRITION: Per serving: 460 calories, 16 g protein, 83 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 690 mg sodium, 8 g dietary fiber, 11 g sugar
