Puttanesca Sauce

This sauce is quick ,easy and so delicious. I first tasted this sauce in the little town of Positano along The Almafi Coast. Ladies of the night made this sauce for their lovers after thier interlude together. Puttana means prostitute in Italian.
You will make this again and again.I have made it many times to come to this final recipe. I know you will sing high C's when you share this with your lover.

Puttanesca Sauce  ~ serves four

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 Shallots sliced
2 cups of fresh basil chopped
4 plum tomatoes,chopped..The best tasting tomato for cooking
2 tbsp. of anchovy paste
2 tbsp. of capors
1/2 cup of good calamari olives chopped
1/4 cup of pine nuts
1/2 cup of red wine
1 15 oz.can of any good tomato sauce
1 tsp.of crushed red pepper or to your tasting..Can serve on the side too
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar



Saute garlic in oii on low simmer, add tomatoes, olives, capors, anchovy paste,slowly add the red wine,simmer together,add tomato sauce,bring it to a low simmer for about 10 minutes.
add your basil and crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt..throw some over your shoulder for good luck..only a pinch because the capors,olives and paste are salty. pinch of sugar.
Stir together and simmer another 5 minutes.shut off your heat.
Serve with one pound of Linguini or Fettucini pasta.cooked Al Dente.
Serve with parmesan cheese.I prefer Locatelli..Good hard crusty bread, a nice salad and a bottle of Chianti or any good Italian red wine. or any red wine...hehehe!!
You can also use this sauce over baked fish..any white fillet fish and is good over baked boneless chicken. I have added shrimp to this sauce too.
This was my Mom's favorite sauce.

Enjoy!!
Teresa