Conchiglie Puttanesca (based On Sopranos' Family Cookbook)

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 5
• 6 quarts water
• salt, if desired (see notes below)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained (i used no salt added)
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 lb conchiglie (medium shells pasta)
• 12 -15 black olives, oil-cured, pitted, halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup capers, rinsed well
• 8 -12 anchovy fillets, drained, chopped (i used all 12 in the flat can)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (see notes)

Recipe

• 1 heat 6 quarts of water to boiling. add salt to water, if desired.
• 2 in the meantime, in a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. add garlic and saute until golden, being very careful not to overcook it.
• 3 add tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme, and salt (if desired). simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens somewhat.
• 4 once water is boiling, add conchiglie and cook until "al dente" or according to package directions, draining well (see notes).
• 5 add olives, capers, and anchovies to sauce. simmer for 2 minutes. remove from heat and stir in red pepper flakes.
• 6 if serving immediately, add drained conchiglie to sauce, toss until pasta is well coated, and serve.
• 7 notes: i omitted the added salt because the olives, anchovies, and rinsed capers made it plenty salty! for a spicier flavor, either increase red pepper flakes or add to sauce with olives, capers, and anchovies as cooking longer will increase the heat.
• 8 if you want to serve the puttanesca later, allow it to cool. rinse and drain the pasta well. then, add the puttanesca and pasta to the crock-pot. mine stayed moist and warm for the 2 hours i warmed it.