(Something like) pasta a la putanesca
With the interval of postings on this blog, you’d think we haven’t been eating at home. It’s not that I haven’t been cooking; it’s just that I haven’t been blogging too much lately. At least, not in my personal blogs. There’s this project in my kids’ school and I was focused on it for the past month. I won’t bore you with the non-cooking details but if you’re interested, you can read about it here.
That said, let’s proceed to the recipe.
Pasta a la putanesca has an interesting history. Most of us only know it as a traditional pasta dish made with anchovies and olives but how many know that the “putanesca” part in its name should be taken in the literal sense? According to various accounts, the dish originated from Italy’s ladies of the night who didn’t have much time to prepare proper meals. Hence, it is also known as “Harlot’s Pasta.” These woman just threw together bits and pieces of available ingredients to make a quick pasta dish.
Who would have thought that the whole world would come to love their creation, eh? Like I’ve said so many times before, a truly great dish is one meant to satisfy, not those meant to merely impress.
But this entry is not a recipe for the traditional putanesca. Anchovies, in cans or in jars, are not native to the Philippines and, as imported food stuff, are quite expensive. So, substitutions are in order. In the past, I have cooked pasta with tuyo (salted dried herring) in oil and with tinapang bangus (smoked milkfish). Last week, I made a huge bunch of spaghetti with sardines. Not canned sardines but sardines in jars, soaked in oil and spices. You’ll find them in most supermarkets. Not as cheap as canned sardines but definitely tastier.
Ingredients :
a jar of spicy sardines in oil
250 g. of spaghetti
6-8 plump and juice tomatoes (not salad tomatoes), coarsely chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely minced
3 tbsps. of olive oil
3 tbsps. of butter
salt and pepper, to taste
chopped cilantro for garnish
grated parmesan cheese
Cooking procedure :
Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, drain and keep warm.
Heat the olive oil and butter together in a sauce pan. Saute the garlic and onions until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for about two minutes or until they start to soften. Add all the contents of the jar, removing the bay leaf, if any. Cook for a few minutes, stirring to break up the sardines. Try not to turn the sardines mushy with over mixing; it’s nice to eat the pasta with discernible bits of sardines.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat evenly.
To serve, place the cooked pasta in individual plates, top with chopped cilantro and grated cheese.
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Pasta Puttanesca is probably one of my favourite pasta dishes. I’m a huge fan of anchovies. I’d love to try your recipe, Connie, but unfortunately (or rather, luckily, depending on how you look at things) anchovies are actually cheaper than sardines over here (in Shanghai). I miss my sardines, though. I remember eating spanish sardines with patis and kalamansi whenever school gets cancelled because of a typhoon.
I really love sardines in oil “spanish sardines”. This dish is just right for the lenten period. I wonder if you have the recipe for bangus done like sardines.
just wanted to give you a heads up — the style of the sauce you are referring to is spelled puttanesca — the spanish spell it puta, the italians say puttana. great blog — and great recipe. the origins for it have always been under great dispute, as to its *ill* repute. supposedly — it was created not just by ANY ladies of the night — or puttane, in italian — but the secret courtesans of the men of the Vatican… i’ve loved following your blog, from here in the u.s. nagagalit na yata ang boss ko, kasi laging nasa internet ako during my breaks — to see what your latest post is!
Marie, re anchovies cheaper in Shanghai. Strange. But imagine how cheap pesto making will be.
Pomsie, I do. In tomato sauce and another in oil. You’ll have to check the archives of Pinoycook.net though instead of this one.
Emme, show the blog to your boss. Maybe he’ll get hooked too hehehehe
Hi connie,I just want to know if the dried sardines with corn oil (dried tuyo),It’s in the bottle too,Can I use it too for this recipe?Thanks a lot.
Yes! I even have a recipe for that. Pasta and tuyo.
hi connie! i really love this recipe. today was the first time i made it..=) my Sister& officemates loved it! they asked for the ingredients & they said they will be cooking this too. Thank you for sharing your delightful recipes! =) God bless you!!
-kc-
Hi Connie,This is easy and quick recipe I did it
and it’s so good.Thanks.
Hi Connie,
I cooked this recipe last weekend and it is really good. One question though, medyo nag dry ung pasta. Do you think I should add more butter?
thank you.
you mean the olive oil plus all the oil from the jar of sardines weren’t enough? i suggest adding more olive oil or butter, or both.
im new here. just stumbled upon this site. its great. ive been looking for websites like this that’s authored by a Filipino. much easier because you are more familiar with the ingredients.
anyways, ive always wanted to try preparing puttanesca but never gotten around to doing it. i actually asked my co-worker for her recipe (she’s a chef) but i guess she forgot.
so i’ll be trying this. thanks for sharing and for a great site.
Dear Connie,
My recipe for Pasta Putanesca served at the Wine Museum in Metro Manila is as follows:
Chopped garlic
Virgin olive oil
One can of anchovies
A couple of sliced green and black olives
Four peeled tomotoes
A teaspoon of capers
Some fresh leaves of sweet basil
One sliced of green chilli pepper
Al dente spaghetti
Parmesan cheese
Saute all ingredients and then mix with the al dente pasta while in the saucepan. Transfer to the platter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
As usual . . . Johnny
I have all of that in my pantry right now! Now, I know what to make for dinner. Thanks, Johnny!