Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

One of my favorite "quick Italian sauces" is "Puttanesca". A combination of salty anchovies, garlic, Kalamata olives, black olives, capers, basil and San Marzano tomatoes finished with rich Parmigiano Reggiano, parsley and a fragrant finishing olive oil. 

Delicious, the sauce has more than a couple historical differing origins. And one of those isn't so glamorous. "Spaghetti alla Puttanesca" means "Spaghetti in the style of the harlot" and this legend began in Naples. 

The name derives from the Italian word puttana which means harlot. Puttana in turn arises from the Latin word putida which means stinking.

Now I’ll bet your wondering how this tasty dish became associated with such sordid content. As is often the case when sifting through culinary history, there are multiple explanations. 

The first interpretation is that the intense aroma, (harking back to the “stinking” Latin definition), would lure men from the street into the local house of ill repute. Thus, the Napolese harlots were characterized as the sirens of the culinary world. 

Three additional accounts all hinge on the fact that "Puttanesca" sauce is easy and quick to make. The first is that the prostitutes made it for themselves to keep the interruption of their business to a minimum. The second is that they made it for the men awaiting their turn at the brothel. And the final version is that it was a favorite of married women who wished to limit their time in the kitchen so that they may visit their paramour (illicit lovers). 

Whatever its origins, "Puttanesca" is a tasty and vibrant sauce best served spaghetti or on top of chicken.

For more go to facebook.com/BaldFoodie