Spaghetti Puttanesca

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Laura Lynn extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 anchovy filets, chopped
• 1 (28 oz.) can Laura Lynn petite diced tomatoes
• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• ¼ cup Laura Lynn capers
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 12 oz. Laura Lynn spaghetti
• ¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 block Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and anchovies, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives, capers, and red pepper flakes. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, fill a large stockpot with water, bring it to a boil, then stir in kosher salt and spaghetti. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook per package ingredients until al dente. Use a measuring cup to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the spaghetti.
3. Add spaghetti to sauce, and toss to coat. Gradually add some of the reserved pasta water to marry the sauce to the noodles, depending on your preference. Stir in parsley, and serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

There's lots of controversy about the origin of this aromatic dish. Researching Puttanesca, several sources share that Puttanesca was created in Naples, Italy during World War II. Young women in wartime Italy didn’t have many career options, and some resorted to "working the night shift." One account says that the ladies cooked this dish to lure in customers with the aroma. The one thing that isn’t up for debate are the pantry ingredients that make up the sauce, anchovies, garlic, Kalamata olives, garlic, and tomatoes.