Weeknight Pasta Puttanesca

If you have some time on your hands, search around for the origins of this dish .... quite amusing if I may say so.

2 TBSP olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
1 TBSP anchovy fillets (about 1/2 of a 1.5oz jar)
1 tsp chopped cherry peppers (or 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper )
1/2 cup pitted and chopped olives ( I prefer about 8 oil-cured black and 6 kalamata from the olive bar)

1/4 cup drained capers

1 lemon (zest and juice)

1 14oz can diced tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted)

1 14oz can tomato sauce

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 cup rough chopped flat leaf parsley
3/4 box whole grain or whole wheat thin spaghetti

Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of starchy cooking liquid before draining.

While the pasta water is heating, start the pasta sauce by heating a skillet (that has a lid) to medium/high heat. Add olive oil, and once oil begins to ripple add garlic, anchovies, and red peppers and cook until garlic is golden. Reduce heat to medium if needed to prevent garlic from burning.

Add chopped olives, capers, lemon zest and juice, tomatoes, black pepper, oregano and parsley. Add 1/2-1 cup of the cooking liquid to suit desired sauce consistency. Bring to a slight boil and reduce heat to allow sauce to gently simmer 10 minutes until thickened and items have begun to melt together. Add back to the pasta and toss well, serve with a grating of Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings

STATS:

300 calories

48g carbs

9g fat

9g protein

9g fiber

976mg sodium