Pasta With Green Puttanesca

Published: May 27, 2011

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Time: 20 minutes
Related

A Good Appetite: Puttanesca Sauce Dressed for Spring (June 1, 2011)

Kosher salt, to taste

1 pound spaghettini or spaghetti

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

10 anchovy fillets

1/4 cup drained capers

1 cup pitted and sliced green Cerignola or Picholine olives

10 fat green garlic cloves, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick (or use 8 regular garlic cloves)

1/3 cup chopped scallions including greens

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

12 cups baby spinach leaves (11 ounces)

1/2 cup torn basil leaves.

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is not quite al dente, 5 to 8 minutes. Reserve a cup of cooking water, then drain the pasta.

2. While the pasta is cooking, warm 1/4 cup of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the anchovies and capers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the capers start to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup oil, olives, garlic, scallions and red pepper flakes; increase heat to high if using green garlic (leave it at medium high for regular garlic) and cook until garlic is golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pasta and toss for 1 minute. Add a splash of pasta cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Season with salt, if necessary. Toss in the basil leaves.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Pinzimonio with Tonnoto sauce

Wednesday morning i looked for easy appetizers in various websites, to take something to wba. this was perfect. fast, easy to transport. of course i didn't have greens or cukes or radishes or fennel bulbs. and i used anchovy paste instead of anchovies, so i julienned a zucchini to add to carrots and celery. and i garnished the tonnoto with slivers of just-picked baby green pepper, and grape tomatoes. it was really good.


Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2. One 8-ounce jar Italian tuna in olive oil, drained
3. 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4. 4 oil-packed anchovies, drained
5. 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
6. 1/4 cup mayonnaise
7. 1/4 pound green, Roma or wax beans
8. 8 Parisian round carrots or baby carrots
9. 4 tender celery ribs with leaves attached, quartered crosswise
10. 2 lemon, Persian or Kirby cucumbers, peeled and quartered lengthwise
11. 2 small watermelon radishes, cut into 8 wedges each, or 10 small radishes, halved
12. 1 fennel bulb, cored and cut into 16 wedges
13. 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
14.

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine the 1/4 cup of olive oil with the tuna, lemon juice, anchovies, capers and mayonnaise. Process until smooth. Scrape the tonnato sauce into a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate.
2. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the beans until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; pat dry.
3. Arrange the beans, carrots, celery, cucumbers, radishes and fennel on a platter; sprinkle with the sea salt. Drizzle the tonnato with olive oil; serve with the vegetables.

Artichoke-Olive Crostini

Adapted from Mario Batali

In addition for making great crostini, we tossed some of the leftover paste with pasta for dinner that next night and it was delicious. I think it would be especially good in a cold pasta dish, like a salad.

1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
1 cup large green pitted olives
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 large slices of crusty bread

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a food processor, process the garlic, olives, capers, artichoke hearts and olive oil to a coarse paste.

2. Toast the bread on the oven rack for 6 minutes, or until crisp and browned. Spread the olive paste thickly over the toasts and serve.

Do ahead: The olive paste can be refrigerated for 2 days. Let it return to room temperature before using.