Pasta Puttanesca

This dish has been placed in the seafood section as it is has to have anchovies - you must love this ingredient to appreciate this pasta - you cannot leave it out. This is a weekly store-cupboard meal in my house - it is quick to whip up once the kids are asleep when we crave an adult pasta with a good chilli kick. The sugar brings out the best in these salty flavours (of which are some of my favourites) and provides a complete balance. Angel hair pasta is always my choice for texture and is the best choice here. Every time I cook this people cannot believe how delicious this simple pasta looks and is.

"This has to be one of my favourite staple meals. I think I would cook it on average once a fortnight. I can’t get enough of the amazing texture of the tomatoes combined with the salty anchovies and the garlic, capers and chilli. If you get the sauce right it should be velvety smooth.
I enjoy it so much that if I was unlucky or stupid enough to be on death row and having to think about my last meal this would be a serious contender for one of the courses.
But there’s also another reason why I love it so much……it was the first meal Katie cooked me in London when we started seeing each other. I remember we dined in her garden on a summer’s night. It was v. romantic!
Oh and it’s really simple to make"– Richard Huddleston.

Pictured: Pasta Puttanesca

3 gloves of garlic – chopped finely
2 red chilli – de-seeded and sliced
3 anchovy fillets – chopped finely and drained on absorbent paper
1 heaped tbsp of tomato paste
2 tin tomatoes
1 tbsp of sugar
2 tbsp of capers
24 kalamata olives – halved
Fresh oregano
Parmesan cheese
Spaghetti for 4 people

Heat olive oil and fry garlic, chilli and anchovy for 3 minutes.
Add tomato paste, tinned tomato and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add capers, olives and continue to simmer for 20 minutes so that the sauce thickens.
Meanwhile boil some salted water and add spaghetti.
Once the sauce is thick add the oregano.
Serve sauce over spaghetti and add parmesan.
Pour a hearty glass of red.
Enjoy.

Serves 4