NYT's Blonde Puttanesca

Thanksgiving week calls for easy meals that allow time for the baking and shopping and food storage that is required to put on a huge feast. That being said, we are traveling for the Thanksgiving weekend and are loath to have much in the fridge when we take off for a few days. Soooo ...

Tonight's dinner is a Meatless Monday dish of blonde puttanesca, a recipe from the NYT food section. It's got a couple cans of tuna fish and a bunch of anchovies. Do they count as meat? I don't think so.

There is a healthy dose of garlic and capers, wilted arugula and flat leaf parsley, lemon juice squeezes, and red pepper flakes. Anyone who knows me knows that I do love a big old plate of pasta.
This dinner hit the spot! Simple, fast, and full of tangy, fishy flavour. It went well with a bottle of Sauvignon blanc from New Zealand's Marlborough district.

Here's how I did it.

Blonde Puttanesca

a New York Times recipe

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

2 very large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 tbsp. capers, drained and rinsed

3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

6 anchovies, rough chop

5 oz box of baby arugula leaves, rinsed and spun dry

2 - 5 oz cans Italian yellow tuna in oil, drained

1/4 c. flat leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Kosher salt and plenty of black pepper for seasoning to taste

Lemon wedges for squeezing 

3/4 lb. linguini

Making the Dish:

1. Bring a big pot of salted water to the boil and cook the linguini al dente.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a deep fry pan. Add the garlic slices and sauté for 1 minute until beginning to become golden. Add the capers and red pepper flakes and continue the sauté for another minute.

3. Add the anchovies and continue to sauté for about 30 seconds, stirring to break down the fish.

4. Spoon in 1/2 c. pasta water and let it bubble to reduce by half. When it has reduced and browned up, add the prepped arugula and one more 1/2 c measure of the starchy pasta water. Reduce the heat under the pan to medium low.

5. Let the arugula begin to reduce, as you drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the wilted arugula and toss together to distribute the arugula and juices.

6. drain the tuna and add it to the dish with the chopped parsley. Lightly toss, add the black pepper and any salt (after tasting first).

7. Squeeze lemon slices over top and serve in shallow bowls with more lemon slices and Parmesan cheese for sprinkling.

8. Simple flavours to enjoy!