Homefed Friday: Pasta Puttanesca (Lager Style!)
If you like a hint of umami in your food, this briny pasta dish hits the spot! There are a few different stories about the origins of Pasta Puttanesca, but one of the most popular dates back to World War II in Italy. Some say the “ladies of the night” used this fragrant and enticing dish to lure customers in. Others believe the “ladies” would make this quick and filling dish for themselves to eat in a hurry. This tasty recipe can easily be made with many of your pantry staples, and adding lemon zest at the end complements the saltiness of the capers and olives.
Island Brand’s version of Pasta Puttanesca is made with our all-clean beer, and the cooking time is longer than the traditional recipe to allow the beer to reduce and the flavors to intensify. You end up with a thick rich red sauce that absolutely melts in your mouth...delizioso! 🇮🇹
If you're a visual learner, here's a TikTok to follow along with. Cheers!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup capers, rinsed
- ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 oil-packed anchovy filets, chopped
- 3 red chiles, seeded and chopped
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 1 (28-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
- 12 oz can of Island Coastal Lager beer
- ¾ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 lb. pasta, such as linguine, bucatini or pappardelle
- 1 lemon, grated zest
- 2 tbsp capers for garnish
- 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Instructions
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add capers, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, anchovies, chiles, and onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until ingredients are browned, about 15 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and beer; bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 1½ hours. Purée sauce in a blender or use an immersion blender; return sauce to pan over low heat. Stir in olives and season with salt and pepper.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente. Drain pasta (save one cup of pasta water) and transfer pasta to sauce; toss to combine. Use extra pasta water if the sauce is too thick for your liking. Serve pasta garnished with lemon zest, capers and parsley.
