The Laughing Wolf

Carnival Of The Recipes: Laughing Wolf’s Puttanesca Sauce

Yes, if you understand Italian (or Latin), that is what you think it is. I first heard of this sauce on a cooking show called The Urban Peasant that has, alas, disappeared from U.S. airwaves. His mantra of make do with what you’ve got is a good one to go by.

According to that show, the sauce was developed by prostitutes because it is so rich and provided the extra energy and stamina needed for their endeavors. Other sources say that the smell was a signal, a come-on, that brought in customers. Whatever the truth, it is a good sauce that is rich, and I make it with lots of meat (a la Bolognese) which some purists say is not correct (anchovy as the only meat). It works for me, and I seem to recall meat in the one featured. So, here is my sauce of the whores for your use and consideration. This is not an exact recipe, as I change it each time and will add in some what I got to get the exact flavor I want at that time.

Hardware:
Knife
Cutting board
Large pot/stockpot

Ingredients:
1-2 large yellow or sweet onions
6-12 cloves of garlic
2 lbs ground meat
1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes
2 28-oz cans of tomato sauce
2 4.25-oz can of chopped ripe olives (minimum)
2 cans anchovies (1-2 cans per pound of meat)
Capers
10 small Portobello mushrooms
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Olive oil

Optional:
Bacon
Other olives pitted and chopped
Other types of mushrooms
Dill
Rosemary
Marjoram

To Prepare:
Place pot on stove and put to medium high heat. Peel and chop onion, coarse is fine, add olive oil to pan and put in onion to sauté until tender. Crush and chop the garlic and add in to onions and olive oil, do NOT let burn or get crisp. Add in meat and brown. Rough chop or cut the mushrooms. Add in remaining ingredients, and allow me to note that the more the merrier on garlic and olives. Reduce heat and let simmer for an hour or all day, it will only get better. The anchovies dissolve as you cook and you cannot see them nor will you be able to truly taste them. People know something is in there, but can’t identify it and often think it is some sort of spice. Don’t eliminate the delusion, run with it. Serve hot with pasta of your choice.

FYI, on the pasta, consider finishing it a bit after cooking al dente by doing a quick sauté with some truffle, olive, or nut oil to add some additional flavor. Pasta does not have to be boring, nor should it be. Go for layers of flavor.

Enjoy!

LW