Pasta Puttanesca

Mom's birthday is this week.She would have been 70.We will have a family party on her birthday full of hostess cup cakes, Pepsi and Chinese food from Super Wok. Happy birthday Mom!!

The weather is getting warmer, we are getting the garden ready and that always makes me want to eat more vegetables. So for this weeks post Kathleen and I made Pasta Puttanesca with sauteed chicken and dined al fresco on our back patio. It was a great evening and reminded me of many spring nights at 1201.


The Bistro's Pasta Al la Puttanesca

3 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
114 C. chopped or sliced black olives
2 tsp. capers, drained
1 tsp crushed dried red pepper
112 tsp. oregano
pinch black pepper, salt to taste
1 can flat anchovies, drained and finely cut (optional, sometimes I
put in about a tsp. of anchovy paste if! happen to have it.)
2 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley (for looks only, I rarely do this)
1 lb. vermicelli pasta
2 chicken breast (optional)



Heat oil in large skillet; add garlic and saute' over low heat bout 1 minute, do not brown. Stir in tomatoes and juice, olives, capers, red pepper, oregano and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in anchovies and parsley. Simmer 2 minutes. Add salt to taste. Cook and drain
vermicelli. Toss with sauce.

Slice the chicken horizontally and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a saute pan until just smoking. Add chicken and cook until browned. This takes about 2-3 minutes per side.