Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca
This Spaghetti Puttanesca makes regular appearances on our Tuesday Foods menu and for good reason! This light and healthy Italian dish, that originates in Naples, really has it going on in the flavor department. Savory and sweet, spicy and bold, Spaghetti Puttanesca packs a punch that will make your taste buds salivate with each delicious bite.
We have paired it here with sautéd swiss chard because we are always looking for ways to sneak in those nutrient dense greens! A simple kale salad or spinach would also work very well with this dish as a side, or mixed right in when serving.
Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (bump to 1/2 teaspoon if you like spice)
4 cups vegetable broth (chicken broth would also works well here)
Up to 1 cup water (notes below)
16 oz dry spaghetti (we like jovial brand for gluten free)
2-3 cups cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes halved
3 - 4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bunch swiss chard, kale or spinach
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped or more to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped or more to taste
18 pitted kalamata olives chopped (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons capers (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat.
Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic oregano, and red pepper; cook 1-2 minutes. (avoid burning the garlic)
Add broth and 1/2 cup water. Go to high heat, and bring to a boil. Add spaghetti to pan, lower heat to medium and cook for 7 minutes, stirring frequently at first to keep spaghetti from sticking together. Pro tip: If the pasta is absorbing the broth and not cooking enough or you feel you want more sauce, add water 1/4 cup at a time and stir in.
Add tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook an additional 3 to 7 minutes or until pasta is done to taste and tomatoes warmed. Pro tip: If tomatoes are not particularly ripe, add them in after cooking the pasta only 5 minutes so they have longer to cook up and get tender and juicy -- you could even cover the pan for a few minutes while it cooks up.
Prep and cook the chard: Strip the chard leaves from the stems; coarsely chop the leaves and stems, keeping them separate. In the saute pan, warm 1 to 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chard stems, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves and cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove pasta from heat, add remaining ingredients, toss to combine and serve with swiss chard on the side.