Hussy Pasta

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Yah, I thought so!

This pasta is basically a riff on a simple Pasta Puttanesca. If you know what Pasta Puttanesca is it translates to whore's pasta. It has salty tones in it from the capers and it has fragrant tones in it from the garlic. Typically most people make it with anchovies but this family is not huge fans of anchovies so I made some tweaks. We are huge fans of onions and shallots so I decided to swap those in for the anchovies. I figured it would give some additional kick to the sauce and let me tell you this gal loves a good kick in her sauce. As always I left out black pepper, my regulars know I abhor the stuff. If you like it feel free to toss some in. Just don't invite me for dinner if you do.

While I still have your attention I'd like to let my fellow Canuck readers know that myself and Isabelle of Crumb are holding a fabulous giveaway thanks to Aurora Importing. We're giving away 2 tickets to see Lidia Live in Toronto on February 10th. So if you are in or near the Toronto area please enter. Not only do you get to see Lidia but you can meet up with myself and Izzy. We'll even pose for silly photos if you provide enough wine. Heck, forget the wine, we'll hang out and take photos with you just for fun. It's sure to be a blast. All I ask is everyone cross fingers for me since I'm making the 4 hour trek on the 401 to be there. If you would like to enter scroll on down to the bottom of the post to throw your hat in the ring.

I'd also like to invite you to stop by Aurora Importing to enter to win 1 of 3 signed copies of Lidia's Favorite Recipes. This is her newest cookbook and I'm just itching to get my hands on a copy myself. Aurora Importing's newest post is all about Lidia talking capers. So myself and Isabelle got in on the caper action. I have a recipe on their site right now called Caper and Chorizo Pizza. Isabelle from Crumb has a recipe on their site called Spaghetti al Limone with Fried Capers and Seared Scallops. If you scroll to the bottom we've got a little side contest going on to see whose recipe you all like better (mine) or Isabelle's (don't do it folks) and the stakes are us getting our own signed copy of Lidia's cookbook. If you all can't choose I say vote for both of us and maybe we'll have a tie. That way maybe we'll both get a book, or we can videotape ourselves arm wrestling for it. You decide (me), but really no pressure (mine) at all, just vote for who you want (me).

Okay so now that I've regaled you with shocking pasta titles and thrown down the arm wrestling gauntlet let's get to the Hussy Pasta already.

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Hussy Pasta

A simple and quick recipe for pasta puttanesca that is full of flavour.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil I used 3 regular and 1 basil infused oil
• 1 sweet onion diced
• 1 shallot diced
• 1 head of garlic peeled and pressed
• 14 oz chopped tomatoes or tomato sauce I opted sauce for speed
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Pepper if desired blech!
• 2 tablespoons capers rinsed and drained
• 1 package spaghetti noodles cooked al dente
• Parsley to taste

Instructions

• In a large saute pan heat up your oil till it glistens.
• Toss in your onions and shallots and cook over a medium low heat till they start to go a bit gold. Should take between 12 to 15 minutes depending on your heat. Feel free to add more olive oil if needed.
• Once the onions and shallots are golden, add the garlic and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes.
• Pop a large stockpot full of water on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Now add the tomatoes or sauce, whichever you prefer. Continue to cook over a medium low heat till it bubbles up.
• Add the spices and mix well. Once it is really bubbling, reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to check back and stir it every few minutes.
• Once your stock pot water is bubbling, turn it down to a medium low heat, add salt to flavour the water. Now toss your noodles in. I always give them a swirl as I drop them so they sort of separate as the go into the water. Cook them for 1 minute less than the package calls for.
• Scoop out a cup full of the pasta water to reserve for your sauce. Now drain your noodles but DO NOT RINSE. There is flavour in that, don't put the flavour down your drain people.
• Pop the noodles into the pan of sauce. Stir really well and let it come together. If needed add some pasta water and let the pasta thicken over a low heat for a minute or two, stirring to make it all become one.
• You can add more pasta water if needed. Use your judgement on this. Start with a little and work your way up. You can always add more, but you can't take away. Good rule of thumb.
• Once the pasta is mixed up well toss the parsley over it.
• Serve with a big old Hussy smile!

Notes

Feel free to dial back the garlic. We love garlic here so a head is no biggie in our household. It may be too much for some people.

You can also dial back the onions or red pepper flakes if you want less kick.

Add anchovies or olives if you like them. They are usually in puttanesca.

To enter to win 2 tickets to see Lidia Live in Toronto on February 10th you must leave a blog comment below telling me what your favourite kind of pasta is. Easy peasy!

For additional entries you can do any or all of the following:

Leave a comment on Aurora Importing's post. Make sure you pop back here and leave a comment saying you did so.

Follow Cravings of a Lunatic by email. Button that says Subscribe via email. Leave a comment with your email addy so I can verify.

Follow Isabelle from Crumb by RSS. Leave a comment here letting me know you did so.

Like Aurora Importing on Facebook. Stop back here to let me know you did so.

Like Cravings of a Lunatic on Facebook. Stop back here to let me know you did so.

Follow Isabelle of Crumb on Flickr. Stop back here to let me know you did so.

Follow Aurora Importing on Twitter. Stop back here to let me know you did so.

Follow Cravings of a Lunatic on Twitter. Stop back here to let me know you did so.

Follow Isabelle from Crumb on Twitter. Stop back here to let me know you did so.

Follow me on Pinterest. Stop back here to let me know you did so.

Follow Isabelle from Crumb on Pinterest. Stop back here to let me know you did so.

Follow Aurora Importing's Youtube channel. Stop back here to let me know you did so.

Tweet about the giveaway. Make sure you tag @AuroraImporting, @CravingsLunatic and @Izzbell in the tweet. You'll have to get creative to fit it all in.

Stop by Aurora Importing and tell them which of the two recipes you like better (mine). If you like mine (you totally should) or Izzy's (not mine, don't do it) just shout it out on their page. Then pop back here and let me know you voted. I promise I won't go check to see who you voted for until this is over. I wouldn't want to sway (me) the vote (me) or anything (me), that would be wrong (Izz). I would never do such a thing (vote for Kim).

Contest is open to Canadians. Contest ends this Friday, February 8th at 5 pm. Please make sure you include contact info in case you win. We will contact you at precisely 5:05 pm on Friday so you have time to make plans and dust off your best get into trouble shoes. Draw will be done by random.org. If winner does not respond by midnight Friday evening we will have to redraw since the event is Sunday. As always please leave additional comments for each entry otherwise they count as one entry. More comments, more entries. It's drawn by a random number generator so each comment counts as one entry!

Giveaway winner is Chelsea, entry #25. Congrats to Chelsea and thank you to everyone who entered.

Okay so go vote for me. Not Izz!

Toodles and smoochies! xx