A salty Roman treat…..

How many of you know that before Pasta Boy Peter I had my own artisan pasta company? It was called Pasta Famiglia & I produced artisan Bronze Pasta and sold it at Vancouver Farmer’s Market and amazing stores like Le Marche St.George and Harvest. I could not grow it into the business I wanted due to a lack of capital, and due to a business associated with me Trademarking a similar name out from under me, but that’s a whole other story. It has made me a better person, and I’m grateful for the experiences I had both good and bad. Not to mention, it led me to teaching all of you!

During that time I did appearances on TV cooking and on one occasion I made my Puttanesca recipe, or whores sauce. Yes that is the literal translation for one of Rome’s best dishes. It is the FUNNIEST appearance I’ve ever had! You can watch the video of me at the link below and I’ve given you all the full recipe as well. Join one of my  Vancouver Cooking Classes and cook, eat and laugh along with the rest of my now 500 strong extended Family. Please do try it, let me know how it goes, and share all the Love you have been giving me about what I’m doing, with those you Love!

Go Bellos and Bellas, and #EatwiththoseyouLove

Peter on CTV

PS

On April 9th, 2018 registration for my May and June classes opens up. I’ll be offering a Mozzarella & Bread Class with two amazing guest Chef’s along with my always sold out Pasta schedule. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know of about my class registration and for special events! Join the Family

Recipe

Serves: 2 (just double the quantities if cooking for 4)

Note: Cooking times were for Pasta Famiglia pasta (Use a good quality Bronze Extruded Pasta in its place)

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of Pasta Famiglia Spaghetti or Penne (Subsitiute a Good Bronze Extruded Pasta) (200 grams)
• 200g of canned whole peeled, crushed or diced tomatoes Approx ¼ of a large can. I like Plum or San Marzano tomatoes. You can also use a tomato puree, Italian or otherwise, but your sauce will be a bit more liquid.
• 1 clove of finely sliced garlic
• Small bunch of finely chopped Italian parsley Approx 2 tbsp
• 1 tin of anchovies in olive oil, or 10 salted anchovies rinsed (I like anchovies, but you can always add less of an ingredient to suit your taste)
• 1 tbsp of capers rough chopped
• 1/3-1/2 cup of pitted olives roughly chopped or sliced
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. 2.5 tbsp if you are not using anchovies in olive oil.
• Peperoncini (Red Chilli Flakes) to taste. I usually add a couple of pinches for a little heat.

Sauce:

• Add olive oil to a frying pan and set to a medium heat
• Add the sliced garlic, chilli flakes, & anchovies, to the frying pan and sauté for 5 minutes making sure the garlic does not burn. Stir the sauce occasionally.
• Add the capers and the olives & sauté for 2 min
• Add half the parsley & sauté for 1 min
• Cook until the anchovies have started to break down. If they have not broken down mash them up.
• Add  the tomato
• Turn the frying pan up to a medium high heat
• When the sauce has begun to boil (usually within 3 minutes) Turn heat back down to medium and continue to simmer
• This is when I put the pasta in.

Pasta:

• Start with 4 litres of unsalted water boiling in a large pot. When cooking pasta for puttanesca you add no salt to the water because it is a salty dish. Start it before starting the sauce so you are ready to put the pasta in when the sauce is almost done.
• When the water has reached a rolling boil it is ready for pasta.
• Add one bag of Pasta Famiglia Spaghetti (200g) (Sub Bronze Extruded Pasta) to the boiling water
• Follow Directions for cooking on the bag. Remember to stir occasionally.

Finishing touches:

• Bringing pasta and sauce together!
• Check your sauce & when it has a good aroma & has thickened, it is ready.
• Add the rest of the parsley.
• Add a quarter of a ladle of the pasta water to the sauce and stir it in
• Check your pasta at 2 minutes before the full cooking time stated on the Package. Taste the pasta, carefully. The pasta should be nearly ready (it should be slightly harder than Al Dente)
• Save & set aside another quarter ladle of pasta water
• Strain the pasta well, and add it to the sauce. Toss or stir the pasta in the sauce for the next 1-1.5 minutes.
• After the 1-1.5 minutes have passed, taste the pasta to make sure it is Al Dente and if not add the saved pasta water and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute
• Serve without cheese. Trust me it is savoury enough!

Easy and tasty peasant cooking in 12-15 minutes!

If you are eating the Pasta Boy Peter way, you cook and eat with someone you love. It makes food and life better! Buon Appetitto,

Peter

Copyright Peter Ciuffa of Pasta Boy Peter Inc.