Puttanesca sauce originated in Naples and derives its name from “ladies of the evening.” The story goes that, between clients, the women of the evening in Naples would make this quick and delicious pasta dish. The easy procedure and simple ingredients—found in the cupboard, most likely—created a quick dish they could make without any major interruption of business. This dish was big on the Italian American restaurant scene in the seventies, I guess because it called for authentic Italian ingredients that were newly available then. Cured olives and cured capers are used a lot in southern Italy, to deliver a wallop of flavor with a small investment, and so this traditional dish continues today in Italian homes and restaurants across America.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta pot

　　1 pound fusilli

　　6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　6 garlic cloves, sliced

　　1/4 teaspoon peperoncino flakes

　　28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand

　　5-ounce can Italian tuna in olive oil, drained

　　1 cup pitted olives, a mix of black oil-cured and green, halved

　　1/3 cup drained tiny capers in brine

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　1/2 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

　　

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. When the sauce is about halfway done, stir the pasta into the boiling water.

　　

Step 2

Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in the garlic, and cook until it sizzles and is just golden around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add peperoncino, let toast a minute, then add the tomatoes. Slosh out the tomato can with 1 cup pasta water, add it to the skillet, and stir. Season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in the tuna and olives, bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the capers and parsley, and simmer a few minutes more.

　　

Step 3

When pasta is al dente, transfer the pasta to the sauce with tongs. Cook and toss the pasta in the sauce until all of the pasta is coated. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and toss again. Remove from heat, and toss with the grated cheese. Serve immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.