Raw Sauces:Tangy, Rich Puttanesca Sauce Explodes with Summer Flavors.

[david parreco]

This is a raw version of this famous Roman sauce. You will absolutely love this celebration of summer flavors.

2 lbs of good tomatos. Seeded and diced.

Bunch of Italian(flat) parsley, stemmed and leave chopped.

½ cup black olives pitted and chopped. I prefer to pit my own olives. Olive that are pre-pitted tend to have mushy flesh and absorb too much brine.

2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped.
3 tablespoon of capers

½ cup of extra virgin olive oil.

Red chile pepper flakes ½ teaspoon or to taste.
3-5 anchovies. Minced very finely. Then crush with a fork and a little olive oil to a paste. Adjust to taste.

1 lb imported cavatappi (corkscrews).

Salt to taste

In a bowl combine all ingredients except pasta, salt and cheese. Don’t be afraid of the anchovies. When they are broken down into an emulsion they add an unobtrusive layer of richness and depth.

Allow ingredients to marinate 30 minutes to an hour.

Cook pasta in salt water until al dente.

Drain well and toss immediately with part of the sauce. Retain a portion of the sauce top each plate. Serve with fresh ground parmesan.

I love this dish on a late summer day with a cool crisp wine.

I learned this recipe from the Fantastic cookbook ‘Pasta Fresca’ by Viana LaPlace and Evan Kleiman. These women write fantastic inspired books which capture the essence of Italian cooking. They are my Pasta Goddesses!

It’s out of print but you can find it used:
http://www.amazon.com/Pasta-Fresca-Viana-Place/dp/0688170110
Buon Appetito!
David Parreco