Recipe

Penne Puttanesca Recipe

Add Step-by-Step Photos	Rahamby / All my dishes 2 years ago (One story goes that in Italy during WW2, prostitutes made this in their rooms (because it required only a hot plate to boil the pasta), and maybe even sold it to the GI customers for sideline income.) Prep:20m Cook:15m Servings:4	Rahamby
	quick and easy filling served at room temperature

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Ingredients

1/2 pound Zucchini, quartered and sliced 1/4-inch thick

2 cloves Garlic, sliced very thin (I use the minced kind in the jar.)

12 large Basil leaves, torn in half (I roll and slice. In the winter, I may use about 1 Tbsp. DRIED Basil – the supermarket-cooler version is very expensive.)

1 - 14.5 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, retaining seeds and liquid (Or, use the "Italian" version with basil and garlic.)

1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Capers, rinsed and drained (I don't rinse)

1/4 cup Black Olives, pitted and halved (I use sliced and chop a little.)

Juice of 1/2 Lemon (I use the frozen from Minute Maid.)

2 Tablespoons Kosher or Sea Salt (ONE Tbsp. is more than enough... diners can always add later.)

2 Tablespoons Crushed Red Pepper flakes (ONE Tbsp. - ditto)

Freshly cracked Black Pepper

1 pound dried Penne Rigate pasta

OPTIONAL - 1/2 of an 8 oz. pkg of Fresh Mozzarella, diced to about 3/8"

Directions

- Combine the zucchini, garlic, basil, tomatoes, olive oil, capers, olives, lemon juice, salt in a large bowl.

- Allow to stand in cool place for 1/2 hour. (Or preferably longer.)

- Bring 6 quarts water to boil in spaghetti pot and add 2 tablespoons salt.

- Drop the penne in the pot and cook according to the package instructions until "al dente", about 10 to 12 minutes.

- Toss in chili flakes, more basil and cracked black pepper. (I do this along with the other ingredients.)

- Stir gently to mix well and serve immediately.

- Drain the pasta (do NOT rinse) and add the pasta to the cool vegetables in the mixing bowl. (I add the veggies to the pasta pot because it warms them a little.)

Note: this dish is NOT SERVED HOT (but can stand to be warmed a little in the microwave after refrigeration...rh).

******** Other ideas for the Penne Puttanesca... *********

- Use Conchiglione or Conchiglie (con-kee-LYO-nay, con-KEE-lyay), a.k.a. large or medium shells, instead of the Penne Rigate. The shells seem to hold the chopped ingredients better than the penne does.

- Use diced regular mozzarella instead of the "fresh mozzarella"... the aged version with its salt seems to go better.

- Chopped Anchovies are optional - from another version I found. (That version also used Oregano instead of Basil, but I'm a basil fan myself.)

"Molto Mario" Batali might not recognize his recipe with all the changes, but that's the fun of cooking... Once you make it the recipe way once, think of ways that might improve it to your taste. (Just don't tell the person with whose recipe you started... I've made that mistake.

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Comments

jenniferbyrdez 2 years ago said:
Works for me. TY.

vicschick 1 year, 6 months ago said:
OoooOOOoohh I have to try this...Im a big fan of capers...this recipe seems to be easy to put together...Thanks for sharing

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