Make spaghetti puttanesca

Spaghetti Puttanesca

Scott Conant of Scarpetta restaurant

4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 anchovy filets, rinsed (if oil packed) or soaked in a couple changes of water (if salt-packed) and coarsely chopped

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 pinches of crushed red pepper

• 1 tablespoon capers rinsed (if oil packed) or soaked in a couple changes of water (if salt-packed)

• 2 tablespoons pitted and quartered black olives, preferably Gaeta

• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large

• 2 plum tomatoes, peeled, and cut into 8 pieces

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish if you like

• Pinch of chopped fresh oregano (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a small skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the anchovies and cook, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, until they have disintegrated into the olive oil. Add the shallot, garlic, and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until they just begin to brown. Add the capers and olives and remove the pan from the heat.

In a bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, parsley, and oregano, if using. Use a flexible spatula to scrape out all of the caper and olive mixture and add it to the bowl with the tomatoes. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes or up to an hour at room temperature for the combined flavors to develop. (Refrigerate it for any longer stretches and use it within 24 hours.)

When ready to serve, bring a large pot salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. When the pasta is just about done, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a couple tablespoons of the olive oil, and when hot, add the tomato mixture to the pan. (You want the tomatoes to have enough surface space so that when they hit the pan, the liquid that is released from them evaporates almost immediately.)

Drain the spaghetti and add it to the skillet and use tongs to toss it with all of the ingredients. Add some of the pasta cooking liquid to the pan as necessary to keep the pasta moist. Transfer the spaghetti to warm bowls and drizzle with a little more of the remaining olive oil and some fresh chopped parsley, if you like.

Source : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29145227/