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What the heck is ... puttanesca sauce?
 One of the more scandalous dishes on the Tapino menu is our Black Mediterranean mussels with Italian Puttanesca and summer perfumes. Not only are mussels considered by some to be an aphrodisiac, but in the language of the Italians, "alla Puttanesca" translates to "the way Whores make it"! We are not real sure just where Chef James "bordello" Porter got his inspiration for this dish, but we did make him go get his health card updated after we read the new menu. Now, you may think that I am making this all up. But, you would be wrong! Just go Google "puttanesca", like I did, and find out for yourself! Puttanesca - [poot-tah-NEHS-kah] - is most often used as a sauce for pasta, and is a spicy blend of tomatoes, onions, capers, black olives, anchovies, oregano and garlic, all cooked together in olive oil. A dish on a menu described as "alla puttanesca" signals that it's served with this sauce. Chef Porter decided that if it was good enough for spaghetti, it would be lovely as a broth for fresh mussels - Chefs often make those kinds of leaps of faith! The most interesting part of the story is just how this intense, savory sauce got its name .....
 The name puttanesca is a derivation of puttana, which in Italian means "whore." Like all good folklore, there are many versions of how the name came to be applied to a pasta sauce. According to one story, the name comes from the fact that the intense fragrance of this sauce was like a siren's call to the men who visited such "ladies of pleasure." The ladies of the night would place pots of it in their windows to tempt men into the bordellos. Another is that the dish was offered to prospective customers at a low price to entice them into a house of ill repute. According to some, its name came from the fact that it was a quick, cheap meal that  prostitutes could prepare between customers. Made of ingredients found in most Italian larders, this is also known as "Spaghetti alla Buona Donna"' - or "Good Woman's Spaghetti" - which can be misleading if one is not familiar with the ironic Italian insult "figlio d'una buona donna" - [son of a good woman]. One possibility is that the name is a reference to the sauce's hot, spicy flavor and smell. the raciest version being that a puttana could cook it in the time it took her to take care of a client, and enjoy it while recovering from her exertions. Whatever! It is really good stuff.
To understand how this sauce came to get its name, one must consider the early twentieth century when brothels in Italy were state-owned. They were known as Case Chiuse or "closed houses" because the shutters had to be kept permanently closed to avoid offending the sensibilities of neighbors or innocent passers-by. Italian housewives usually shop at the local market every day to buy fresh food, but the "civil servants" were only allowed one day per week for shopping, and their time was valuable. Their specialty became a sauce made quickly from ingredients typically found in any Italian pantry.
 The ingredients for puttanesca sauce are very easy to find, and are typically Mediterranean. Extra-virgin olive oil is put in a frying pan. Then, finely chopped cloves of garlic (sometimes with onions) are added, followed by peperoncino (dried hot peppers) and anchovy fillets mashed with a fork. Anchovies are usually not sautéed for a long time, to avoid a strong "fishy" taste. Chopped tomatoes are poured in, and when the sauce comes to the boiling point, chopped capers (in vinegar) and pitted black olives are added. Then, the sauce is reduced over high heat. As a final touch, chopped parsley and fresh basil leaves are occasionally included.
 Recipes will differ according to the preferences of the cook. However, certain fundamentals remain true for all versions. Puttanesca sauce must be a little salty (from salted anchovies and olives), spicy (from hot red peppers) and quite fragrant (with large amounts of garlic). Traditionally, the sauce is served with spaghetti (spaghetti alla puttanesca), although it may also be used with other dry pasta types like bucatini and vermicelli. The sauce is mixed with cooked pasta and minced parsley is sprinkled over the dish on the plate. Puttanesca is a very versatile sauce. It can wander completely away from the world of pasta. It makes a very lovely sauce for pizza, a base for bruschetta, a condiment for Panini sandwiches, and as Chef James has discovered, a wonderfully good sauce for shellfish. You can buy the stuff, pre-prepared, in jars in the "ethic" section of most large supermarkets. But, homemade is best!
Wann'a make some? Here are several interesting recipes:
Spaghetti alla puttanesca
 INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 flat can of flat anchovy fillets, drained
- 1 /2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 20 oil-cured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 1 (32-ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- A few grinds black pepper
- 1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 pound spaghetti, cooked to al dente (with a bite)
- Crusty bread, for mopping
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano, for passing, optional
DIRECTIONS
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add oil, garlic, anchovies, and crushed pepper. Saute mixture until anchovies melt into oil and completely dissolve and garlic is tender, about 3 minutes: your kitchen never smelled so good! Add olives, capers, tomatoes, black pepper, and parsley. Bring sauce to a bubble, reduce heat, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes. Dump the sauce over the cooked spaghetti and toss.
Puttanesca Sauce
 INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 6 cloves minced garlic
- 2 (28-ounce) cans Roma plum tomatoes, broken into pieces, with juice
- 1 cup tightly packed, pitted, and halved Kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 2 tablespoons minced anchovy fillets (about 8 fillets)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and lightly caramelized, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the remaining ingredients and simmer until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, about 40 minutes. Adjust seasoning, to taste, cover and set aside.
Prawns Puttanesca serves 4
 INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/4 pounds large prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 4 tomatoes, peeled and seeded, then diced
- 1/4 cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water to re-hydrate, drained and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped pitted Nicosia olives
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
- 6 anchovy fillets, rinsed and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a large, nonstick sauté or frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, sprinkle with the salt and black pepper, and cook for about 3 minutes. Turn the shrimp and cook until opaque and pink, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
Add the wine and deglaze pan, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Add the fresh and sun-dried tomatoes and the garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the tomatoes are tender, about 3 minutes.
Add all the remaining ingredients and cook for about 2 minutes longer to allow the flavors to blend. Return the shrimp to the pan and toss well to coat. Serve immediately.
 Most Authentic Puttanesca - serves 1
Go to any Cat house and ask for a bowl
Easiest Puttanesca - serves you and all of your friends
 Trundle down to Tapino - order up several dishes of Black Mediterranean mussels with Italian Puttanesca and summer perfumes.
Enjoy!
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