Pasta Puttanesca is a Southern Italian dish with mixed olives, anchovies and red onion and parmesan. Mouthwatering and ready in minutes!
Last week I was surfing Pinterest (shocking) when I spotted a bright, beautiful plate of pasta out of the corner of my eye. I knew even before I clicked that it was a Pioneer Woman photo. I love how her pictures of food feel effortless, stand out in a crowd, and are are totally mouthwatering to look at.
At any rate, I clicked over and indeed, it was her recipe for Pasta Puttanesca!
Pasta Puttanesca is a Southern Italian pasta dish that combines mixed olives, anchovies (don’t you dare click that red x!) parmesan cheese, garlic and red onion for an incredibly flavorful dish that’s inexpensive, but totally impressive.
Start by chopping a heaping 1/2 cup mixed olives. The Pioneer Woman used a mortar and pestle to mash them up, but I just chopped them finely with a knife. A food processor would be great too.
Next, finely chop four anchovy filets. Anchovies are not fishy tasting. At least none that I’ve ever had. They just taste briny and super savory. You’d never know they were in this pasta dish, but are needed to achieve the correct Pasta Puttanesca flavor, ya dig?
Meanwhile, Ben crumbled up 4 ounces of parmesan cheese,
while I got the rest of the ingredients ready for the pasta. 1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes (wellll, maybe a little less – they’re so poppable!) and 1/2 sliced red onion.
From here the dish came together in less than 10 minutes. Add 8 ounces bucatini to boiling, salted water.
Bucatini is a hoot. It’s basically hollow spaghetti and when you slurp the strands up, wind whistles through ’em like a straw. So much fun!
While the pasta cooks, brown the red onion in olive oil.
Add the tomatoes and cook for a couple minutes until they’re slightly softened.
Pour in 3/4 cup chicken broth then let it reduce for a couple more minutes, before adding in the chopped olives, anchovies, and 2 garlic cloves.
Finally, pour in the cooked and drained pasta, and 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Then top with the parm and toss.
Swirl onto a plate, sprinkle with fresh basil and slurp away!
This is a FABULOUS meatless main! The flavor of the olives and anchovies is so satisfying, and the tomatoes & basil were the best fresh contrast.
Ben and I both slurped this up (and giggled like 10 year old at the whistling pasta.) ;)
Yet another win for the Pioneer Woman! Ben gets excited every time I make one of her recipes. They’re always such crowd pleasers, and are so easy to whip together. The woman can do no wrong!
Emily 02.26.2012
What a fun pasta shape!!!
karenc 02.26.2012
I was shocked to see Essie the other day at Walgreens – it was full price tho. I purchased a beautiful tangerine shade for summer…but now WalMart for $5.00 – what’s this world coming to?????!!!!! Fantastic! I’ll have to give it a shot before the next snow/ice day hits Tuesday AM!
Emily @LivingLongfellow 02.26.2012
Tjs has the best cheese!!!! That was so funny you said ‘do not click the red x.’ I was just about to! I can’t stand even the site of anchovies, but I was forced to stay, and the plate looks delicious. Thanks for draggin me in. Maybe I’ll try them sooner rather than later :)
Rachel 02.26.2012
Ha–I made the Pioneer Woman’s Mocha Brownies this afternoon! The pasta would’ve been healthier. :)
Jess@atasteofconfidence 02.26.2012
I just pinned that recipe as part of my no meat challenge for Lent, so I am glad you liked it!!
Ruth 02.26.2012
the clearance sales get me too. A couple weeks ago it was the fall candles at Wal-Mart.
JV 02.26.2012
I also enjoyed the whiskey pork at Costco this weekend; however, it wasn’t me who caught you mid-bite . :)
Michelle (Better with Berries) 02.26.2012
I’ve never seen that Whole Hearts cereal, but I love all cereal so I think I need to try it :-)
I love Giada and Ina Garten – I’ve never tried any of the Pioneer Woman’s recipes, but I’ve heard so much about her. I want to try one soon!
Dena @ 40 Fit in the Mitt 02.26.2012
That pasta dish looks delish! I just pinned it and plan on making it very soon.
Lauren 02.26.2012
$5 Essie!! Get out of town!! :)
Ashley @ coffee cake and cardio 02.26.2012
I love that cereal!! I cook like my Mom ( my celebrity cook).
Kim 02.26.2012
Just made your stuffed shells for dinner they were ah-mazing! Totally going to make this for the next big family dinner! Thank you for all the great work that you do!
thatShortchick 02.26.2012
I haven’t seen that whole hearts cereal – I will now be on a mission to find a box. I’m in need of adding a new cereal to the rotation!
Chelsey T. 02.26.2012
I pinned this recipe too earlier this week! Looks so good.
Kim 02.26.2012
I vacuumed today as well, and it took a lot of pep talks to get it done. BTW, I made those peanut butter cookies with the Reese’s stuck in the middle. I teach middle school band so they are our reward for a very successful music festival last week. Anyway, those things are sinfully delicious.
kathleen @ the daily crumb 02.26.2012
i am not a puttanesca person (not an anchovy or olive fan), but i swear, the pioneer woman… and YOU!… can mean make anything look worth a shot!!
Denise 02.26.2012
With anchovies, is it technically meatless?
Looks good either way :)
Jim 02.27.2012
That’s exactly what I was thinking…
Presley (Run Pretty) 02.26.2012
You had me at pasta…
Christine 02.26.2012
This is pretty funny – I did the EXACT same thing Thursday. Right down to surfing Pinterest, seeing the Pioneer Woman’s photo, getting a craving for puttanesca, making it (with all trader joes ingredients), and blogging about it ). Small (foodie) world! Hope it was delish!!!
Blog is the New Black 02.26.2012
Ditto on all 3!!!! I also love Alton Brown’s recipes!