Bucatini Puttanesca

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 544kcal

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 large Italian sweet pepper chopped (or use several jalapeno peppers, chopped - red ones if you have them)
6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta if desired
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 2- ounce tin flat anchovy fillets drained
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup black olives pitted and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers
4 pounds fresh tomatoes peeled and chopped (or about 60 odd ounces of crushed tomatoes from cans) – I still have tomatoes from my garden!
Black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 pound bucatini noodles spaghetti is good, too
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Heat a large pan to medium heat and add olive oil. Heat through.
Add onion and peppers. Cook about 5 minutes to soften.
Add the pancetta and cook another 5 minutes. Or until the pancetta crisps. Break apart with a spoon.
Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring often.
Add anchovies, red pepper flakes and olives. Mash the anchovies and stir until they incorporate into the mixture.
Add tomatoes, black pepper, parsley and basil. Mix well.
Cover and cook about 15-20 minutes, allowing the tomatoes to break down and flavors to incorporate.
Break up the tomatoes and stir to a rustic mix. At this point you can reduce heat to simmer while you prepare your noodles.
Prepare the noodles as directed on the box, about 10 minutes or so boiling.
Drain noodles and toss with the sauce.
Serve with grated Parmesan cheese!

This served up 4 for a quick dinner at my house, plus I had a huge bowl for lunch the next day. Yum!