lady of the night

It's barely fair to post a recipe like this one, it's that simple. In Italian, the word "puttana" means whore, and Pasta Puttanesca gets it's name either from the aroma (of anchovies which I leave out) or from the fact that this sauce is easy and cheap. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Heat a large skillet with a bit of olive oil. Throw in a clove of garlic, chopped and cook for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup-ish of roughly chopped kalamata olives and a hefty tablespoon's worth of capers, either drained or rinsed depending on which variety you have. Stir it all together and add a large can of diced tomatoes. Bring it to a boil and then turn down to an active simmer. By now your pasta water might be boiling, so add a generous amount of salt and 1/2 a box of spaghetti or linguine. Cook al dente and throw the pasta into the skillet. Add a handful of roughly chopped flat leaf parsley and serve. This should serve 2 adults plus leftovers, or 4 adults for a first course.