This is one of those dinners I make when I can’t be bothered to leave the house or when nothing would induce me to set foot in the supermarket. Like today. Similar to tins of baked beans, tuna or tomatoes – a jar of capers, cannellini beans and some anchovies are always good to have to hand, not just for this but other emergency suppers. If I think I can manage to shuffle off to the corner shop for some parsley or lettuce, and there’s an onion lurking in the fridge, I can do a passable tuna/bean salad with that lot (not including the baked beans and tin of tomatoes).
Store cupboard pasta recipe (aka Pasta Puttanesca if I’m being fancy)
Serves 2
Prep: 5 mins Cooking: 10 mins
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (chopped) red chilli, or pinch of dried chilli flakes, or squeeze of that chilli that comes in a handy tube
5 anchovy fillets in oil, or more if you like
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp capers (I use the ones that come in a jar in brine)
1 tbsp kalamata olives (or any other, preferably stone-free, black olive, again in a jar)
small handful of parsley, chopped
freshly ground pepper
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the garlic, chilli and anchovies and mix for a few minutes until they break down a bit to form a sort of paste in the pan. Add the tomatoes, mix well, and let the whole mixture simmer gently while you put on whatever pasta you have to hand/fancy. I’m a fan of linguine but this works with most and I think is *meant* to be with spaghetti. Stir the sauce occasionally, and when the pasta is cooked add the remaining ingredients and heat through. Either mix sauce and pasta together or top pasta with sauce and serve with plenty of parmesan.
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