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Pasta with Tomato Sauce, Olives and Capers – Penne all'Arrabbiata

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The secret of a good and simple pasta recipe? few ingredients but of high quality.

photos coco zordan

The Recipe

Servings

4

Prep time

15 min.

Cooking time

15 min.

Ingredients

  • Cooking the Pasta
  • penne (De Cecco) 1 box (1 lb.)

  • coarse Kosher salt (for the water) 2 tbs. for 4/6 qts. of water

  • sauce
  • whole peeled tomatoes (Cento) 1 can (1 lb 12oz or bigger)

  • x-vergin olive oil 1/4 cup

  • garlic 1 or 2 cloves

  • pitted black olives 6-8

  • (pre-washed) small salted capers 2 tbs.

  • anchovy a small piece (half inch)

  • peperoncino (hot red pepper) opt. to taste

  • fine salt to taste

Directions

Pasta

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Bring a large pot of  (filtered) water, 4 to 5 quarts, to a rapid boil. Add 2 or 3 tbs of coarse salt to water (2 tbs of salt every  3 quarts of water) before adding the pasta. You need to salt the water and you need a lot of water for cooking the pasta. For a pound of pasta you need 4-5 qts. of water. (If you’re not sure about the salt/water ratio taste the water: it must be nicely salty.).

Note: adding a tsp of olive oil into the water will prevent the pasta to stick together. You’ll still need to stir the pasta till the water recovers the boiling.

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Note: a tsp of olive oil in the water will prevent the pasta to stick together.

While the water is getting to boil, cover a large pan with olive oil; add garlic, the small of piece of anchovy, the (previously) pitted olives and rinsed capers. Keep the heat low so that the clove doesn’t get burnt.

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After a few minutes when the the oil has absorbed the flavor of the ingredients, add the peeled tomatoes. If the tomatoes are whole you’ll need to crash them with a fork when almost cooked. Add some salt if needed.  Cover with a lid and let is simmer for about 15 minutes.

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In the meantime add the pasta to the boiling water and stir till the water recovers the boiling, lower the heat when it starts boiling again, remove the pasta from the stove (usually a couple of minutes before the suggested cooking time) ,save some of the boiling water aside (1 cup),and drain the pasta.

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 Add  pasta directly to the sauce in the pan and sautee  for 30 seconds. If the sauce looks a bit dry, add a bit of the cooking water instead of more oil.

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Serve immediately with  a drizzle of olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

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