This weeks Food Network Chef Challenge hosted by I blame my Mother, is Jaime Oliver. Jaime hosts the show The Naked Chef, featuring a “stripped down” style of cooking. I don’t think I’ve ever seen his show before, but the concept sound very interesting. He has a huge list of recipes and it was hard to pick just one, but ultimately I choose this Spaghetti Puttanesca.
The bold combination of flavors were purely delightful in this dish. I just loved the capers, olives and even the anchovies. I was a little worried using the anchovies since I’ve never had them before and knew or heard they would be rather strong. (but I do love sardines in hot sauce, just saying) Any who, did I say this dish was awesome and surprising. I fully expected DT to not want anything to do with this because of the olives, but he gobbled it down, 3 whole servings. He liked it, he really really liked it.
Be sure to stop by and see what everyone else cooked at I Blame My Mother.
Let me show you just how simple it is to make.
Ingredients: 1 pound (455 grams) dried spaghetti, the best you can get, 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, 1 handful capers, soaked in water and drained, 2 handfuls big black olives, pitted (I used black and green olives, chopped), 12 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped, 3 small dried red chiles, crumbled (I used 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes), 1 tablespoon dried oregano, Extra-virgin olive oil, 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, (I used frozen tomatoes from our garden), 1 good handful fresh basil, Salt and freshly ground black pepper
I even used gluten free pasta, and it was tasty!
These beauties are from our garden this past summer, I froze them and they are perfect for sauces or soups.
Did I mention this recipe has anchovies, eek!! Anyone else nervous about cooking with them?
And I am happy to say they were great in this dish.
Go ahead and start a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta, and cook per package instructions.
In a different stock pot, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, on medium high heat.
Then mince your garlic
and I used 1 handful of green olives and a handful of black olives
roughly chopped
Next up the fishy fellows
give them a rough chop as well.
Then to the oil add the oregano
and red pepper flakes or chilies
garlic
olives
anchovies
and capers
let them fry in the olive oil for a few minutes, until the garlic has softened
then I chopped my frozen tomatoes
I just love the contrast of the red and yellow tomatoes.
once the olive mixture has fried up a bit
add the tomatoes
and cook until the it becomes a sauce like consistency.
Then add the cooked pasta and toss.
Serve with fresh basil and enjoy!
Spaghetti Puttanesca
Ingredients
1 pound (455 grams) dried spaghetti, the best you can get
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 handful capers, soaked in water and drained
2 handfuls big black olives, pitted (I used black and green olives, chopped)
12 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
3 small dried red chiles, crumbled (I used 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 (14 ounce/400gram) cans tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 good handful fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Cook the spaghetti in salted, boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile fry the garlic, capers, olives, anchovies, chiles, and oregano in a little olive oil for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and continue to cook for 4 or 5 minutes, until you have a lovely tomato sauce consistency. Remove from the heat, plunge the drained spaghetti into it, toss it over, and cover with the sauce. Rip all the basil over it, correct the seasoning, and drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil.