Thyme for                         Cooking

 Pasta alla Puttanesca
Fresh Fruit - Pomegranates? Star Fruit? Tangelos?

Cooking time:  30 minutes for menu
Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions

Pasta alla Puttanesca                                                     Time: 30 minutes

spaghetti, linguini, or similar.  If fresh (which is what I use) enough for 2 - usually 9 oz (250 gr)
            if dry about 1 1/4" (3cm) diameter bunch (make a circle with thumb and index finger - you
            want it a little bigger than an American quarter, about the size of a 2 euro coin).
3 tbs olive oil
1 small onion  rest of the one from Friday
1/2 green pepper or 1/2 of what's left of the one from Friday, save the rest
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp (or more or less) red pepper flakes careful, these can be very hot...you can always add more
4 anchovy filets or equivalent in paste
1 1/2 tbs capers
3/4 cup pitted black or kalamata olives
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 15 oz can (450gr tin) plum tomatoes

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Chop onion, pepper and mince garlic.  Cut olives in half.  Drain tomatoes (do not reserve liquid) and roughly chop.  (see techniques)  Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet.   Add onion, pepper and garlic and sauté until tender.  Add red pepper flakes and anchovies.  Mash anchovies with the back of the spoon and combine well.  Add chopped tomatoes with their juices (from chopping) and all remaining ingredients.  Simmer, uncovered until thick, about 15 minutes.  Drain pasta, toss with sauce and serve.

Note: This is meant to be a bit hot (red pepper flakes) and a bit salty (olives, capers and anchovies).  It is not, traditionally, served with any cheese.  It can have the addition of canned (tinned) tuna.

Fresh Fruit                                                                     Time: 5 minutes

Pomegranates, or something equally exotic...or
Tangelos, tangerines

Prepare fruit: cut pomegranates to release seeds (you eat the seeds).
Peel citrus fruit.
Whatever, just get it ready to eat and arrange on a plate for nibbling after dinner with that last sip of wine.
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Cooking Schedule: 30 minutes
Assemble all ingredients, pans and serving dishes
Put water on high heat for pasta
Chop onion and pepper, mince garlic
Heat oil and start to sauté onions, peppers garlic
Cut olives
Chop tomatoes

Add pepper flakes and anchovies to pan, mash
Add remaining ingredients, simmer until thick
Start to cook pasta
Wee break, fix fruit
Drain pasta
Toss with sauce
Serve

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking for Two?  Or more? 
Our Weekly Menu Planner Service gives you healthy, gourmet dinners, carefully planned to eliminate waste and insure a wide variety of seasonal, wholesome foods each week. 

All text and images are copyright © 2005 - 2007 Kathleen Lerum Zeller.
All rights reserved unless otherwise indicated

 

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Menu for the week of January 5, 2007


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