Puttanesca, Cornersmith style

We love a recipe that makes the most out of opening the cupboard and improvising with what you find. Enter, puttanesca. The origins of this sauce are hotly debated, as some say that puttanesca was born in the brothels of Naples, while others say that the translation more accurately describes just throwing some s**t that you found in the cupboard into a pan. 

Serves 3-4 people.

Ingredients

400gm of pasta

400gm of chopped fresh tomato, or 1 can of tomatoes

1/4 cup of chopped and pitted olives

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons of pantry strays such as capers, or chopped anchovies or both

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon of smoked chilli

salt and pepper to season

Method

Bring 1 pot of salted water to the boil and cook 400gms of pasta according to packet instructions.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add pantry strays of your choice. If using anchovies, mash them a little with a fork in the pan. Now add garlic and olives, stirring to let the flavour all come together. Add tomatoes and simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes. If you are using fresh tomatoes, cover the pan to help them cook down. 

Once the sauce is cooked through, stir in the smoked chilli and serve over strained pasta.