LOVE that Roz Chast cartoon - how does this happen every year? Also a big fan of 'Slut's spaghetti', have previously cooked a Delia version, your recipe sounds punchier so will be giving it a go. Thank you.
My absolute favourite spaghetti dish so I cannot wait to try your recipe. And as you so rightly say, fantastic for an impromptu crowd. I once rustled it up for 8, followed by shop bought brownies (good ones) for an unplanned but memorable party. A party that I hosted but actually enjoyed too!
This is one of my favourite things to learn about people: What are the impressive meals that you throw together last minute. When I end up with a group of friends at my house, it's usually something like 'oh I have a crumble topping in the freezer (I always make a double batch), and here are some apples, and some berries, I'll just make us a crumble and *surveys fridge* how does everyone feel about a lentil and chard soup with some *checks pantry* fresh sourdough that I made yesterday?'. Folks marvel at the things that others could cook in the dark during a power cut by candlelight and feel, or drunk in the middle of the night, or exhausted.
Which is to say, I'm excited to try your puttanesca. I love reading about, and building a repertoire of these things. I think it also says something lovely and quiet and real about a person. Yes, it's great to see what you can do with food when you've got days to prepare-- it's like the 'glammed up and ready to go out to a partee' version of a meal, but like, what's the 'no makeup, in dungarees, dirty from gardening and hair a mess' version of it.
Yes, I so agree, it's the thrown-together stuff that is the most fun and the most revealing. I love the idea that it's the equivalent of no makeup and dungarees.
One of our family favourites and always requested as a coming home dinner if one or all of us have been away. Something so comforting about it. Only problem my son has become a vegetarian. Does anyone have any recommendations for an anchovy replacement?
One of the truest cartoons I’ve seen! Where has this month gone?!?
Roz Chast is the best - have you ever seen her Hypochondria Times? It's perfect, and totally applicable to so many people I know (and even me sometimes, I have to admit). Your Puttanesca looks fab. Current price of good anchovies abominable, though.
Oh! And I too have been an advocate for wide, shallow pans for DECADES.
Until rice was off the menu for me, our scrap supper was spicy rice - a pilaf with leftover chicken (or lamb, or prawns), with a sautéed vegetable base, Basmati rice and as much aromatic spice and chilli as we felt like - from mild and comforting to hella poky.
Cooked in a wide, shallow pan - perfection. In a deeper pan, scorched at the bottom, crunchy on top. Keep it moving with a spoon and bingo - a panful of congee. Just get the good pan!
Your rice sounds delicious. Wide shallow pan is the only pan anyone needs, apart from big pan for boiling things. I LOVE wide shallow pans. I use mine so much that it lives on the cooker permanently - no point putting it away.
HEAVEN! My exact method - and thank you so much for emphasising non-politeness. It’s got to smack you around the face. (My only deviation from this blueprint is grated Pecorino, simply because I love it.) Anchovies, capers, olives, garlic, good oil… bliss.
I’m not eating pasta these days (nor any starchy carbohydrate - I’m not a diet loon, it was recommended by my consultant and I try to do as I’m told), but I serve this with nice Italian organic wholewheat pasta (for my husband) and a vast pile of tenderstem broccoli (for me).
I also do this with the sauce for Pasta alla Norma - bliss on broccoli, with Parmesan, pecorino or ricotta salata (if you can find it).
Very much looking forward to trying this recipe! I’m not so much an anchovy denier as an avoider, which brings the question: If I avoid them, how do I know whether I like or don’t like them?? At any rate, neophyte that I am, can you advise me as to what size the jar of anchovies should be? As in how many ounces, for example? Thank you!
Totally off topic, but I've been searching my folder with all you r posts and simply CAN'T track down the time you mentioned a completely brilliant video of how to tie a scarf. It you are more efficient than me, and can find it easily, I'd be awfully grateful to see it again!
Great recipe, thank you India! You’re so right btw on cauliflower, which I love, always takes way longer to roast/bake than the recipe says- do all cookery writers secretly par-boil it first?
It's strange, isn't it? The timings are always slightly off. To be fair I'm quite cavalier about weighing cauliflowers, and they do vary a lot in size. But still.
I love puttanesca.Thank you for this recipe. Jamie Oliver had a Glasgow restaurant and although it was not featured on his menu the chef it for us as a request. I so wish I had an induction hob I just hate cleaning the brass burners on my gas cooker top.
Francesca you can pick up individual induction hobs that plug in wherever you need them in the kitchen so you could use it alongside your gas cooker. They’re very reasonably priced on Amazon and great for use outdoors too in BBQ season if you have access to electricity via a long cable.
India, thanks for such a great recipe. I made it last night and it was a) quick and b) delicious! Hope you are feeling better
Oh GOOD, I'm so pleased!
LOVE that Roz Chast cartoon - how does this happen every year? Also a big fan of 'Slut's spaghetti', have previously cooked a Delia version, your recipe sounds punchier so will be giving it a go. Thank you.
Very welcome and that cartoon never gets old.
Making this tonight. I have a child who is a tomato refusenik, but tonight he can eat plain pasta. Thank you.
I hope you like it. I had 2 tomato refuseniks too for a while, so odd. They grow out of it eventually.
My absolute favourite spaghetti dish so I cannot wait to try your recipe. And as you so rightly say, fantastic for an impromptu crowd. I once rustled it up for 8, followed by shop bought brownies (good ones) for an unplanned but memorable party. A party that I hosted but actually enjoyed too!
That is literally the perfect dinner.
The cartoon took me out, but in a sweet way 🥺🥲 🐶
It's unbearably moving. All his puppy ones are genius.
This is one of my favourite things to learn about people: What are the impressive meals that you throw together last minute. When I end up with a group of friends at my house, it's usually something like 'oh I have a crumble topping in the freezer (I always make a double batch), and here are some apples, and some berries, I'll just make us a crumble and *surveys fridge* how does everyone feel about a lentil and chard soup with some *checks pantry* fresh sourdough that I made yesterday?'. Folks marvel at the things that others could cook in the dark during a power cut by candlelight and feel, or drunk in the middle of the night, or exhausted.
Which is to say, I'm excited to try your puttanesca. I love reading about, and building a repertoire of these things. I think it also says something lovely and quiet and real about a person. Yes, it's great to see what you can do with food when you've got days to prepare-- it's like the 'glammed up and ready to go out to a partee' version of a meal, but like, what's the 'no makeup, in dungarees, dirty from gardening and hair a mess' version of it.
Yes, I so agree, it's the thrown-together stuff that is the most fun and the most revealing. I love the idea that it's the equivalent of no makeup and dungarees.
One of our family favourites and always requested as a coming home dinner if one or all of us have been away. Something so comforting about it. Only problem my son has become a vegetarian. Does anyone have any recommendations for an anchovy replacement?
One of the truest cartoons I’ve seen! Where has this month gone?!?
Claire's suggestion of miso is brilliant, I think that would work. Or nutritional yeast? More like Parmesan, but would also provide the umami.
I would use some black olive tapenade or even some miso to replace the umami element from anchovies
Thank you Claire! I’ll try that. I’m very much a recipe following cook so get a bit stuck if I have to substitute 😊
Roz Chast is the best - have you ever seen her Hypochondria Times? It's perfect, and totally applicable to so many people I know (and even me sometimes, I have to admit). Your Puttanesca looks fab. Current price of good anchovies abominable, though.
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/giclee-painting-chasts-the-hypochondria-times-cartoon-12x9in--365354588529690029/
I know, shocking (anchovies). I revere Roz Chast. She's really worth following on Instagram too.
Oh! And I too have been an advocate for wide, shallow pans for DECADES.
Until rice was off the menu for me, our scrap supper was spicy rice - a pilaf with leftover chicken (or lamb, or prawns), with a sautéed vegetable base, Basmati rice and as much aromatic spice and chilli as we felt like - from mild and comforting to hella poky.
Cooked in a wide, shallow pan - perfection. In a deeper pan, scorched at the bottom, crunchy on top. Keep it moving with a spoon and bingo - a panful of congee. Just get the good pan!
Your rice sounds delicious. Wide shallow pan is the only pan anyone needs, apart from big pan for boiling things. I LOVE wide shallow pans. I use mine so much that it lives on the cooker permanently - no point putting it away.
HEAVEN! My exact method - and thank you so much for emphasising non-politeness. It’s got to smack you around the face. (My only deviation from this blueprint is grated Pecorino, simply because I love it.) Anchovies, capers, olives, garlic, good oil… bliss.
I’m not eating pasta these days (nor any starchy carbohydrate - I’m not a diet loon, it was recommended by my consultant and I try to do as I’m told), but I serve this with nice Italian organic wholewheat pasta (for my husband) and a vast pile of tenderstem broccoli (for me).
I also do this with the sauce for Pasta alla Norma - bliss on broccoli, with Parmesan, pecorino or ricotta salata (if you can find it).
The puttanesca sauce would also be delicious with butter beans and/or some chunks of slightly scorched cauliflower
Interesting re broccoli. I like it well enough but I wish I could love it. I do passionately love cavolo nero though.
Very much looking forward to trying this recipe! I’m not so much an anchovy denier as an avoider, which brings the question: If I avoid them, how do I know whether I like or don’t like them?? At any rate, neophyte that I am, can you advise me as to what size the jar of anchovies should be? As in how many ounces, for example? Thank you!
Well, quite re avoidance. Size: normal tin, so about 47g. Ish.
Thank you!
Totally off topic, but I've been searching my folder with all you r posts and simply CAN'T track down the time you mentioned a completely brilliant video of how to tie a scarf. It you are more efficient than me, and can find it easily, I'd be awfully grateful to see it again!
Here it is! https://www.instagram.com/black_co_uk/reel/Cz9tsqnIcUT/
Really so kind of you! I promise you this is now safely flagged, pinned and generally preserved for digital posterity!
No problem. One day I will sit down and index this whole newsletter, though God knows when that day will be.
Right again India - Only have time to ‘like’ no proper comment! ❤️ Where does it go indeed.
Grateful for the ❤️!
Great recipe, thank you India! You’re so right btw on cauliflower, which I love, always takes way longer to roast/bake than the recipe says- do all cookery writers secretly par-boil it first?
It's strange, isn't it? The timings are always slightly off. To be fair I'm quite cavalier about weighing cauliflowers, and they do vary a lot in size. But still.
sorry the chef made,it’s meant to read!
I love puttanesca.Thank you for this recipe. Jamie Oliver had a Glasgow restaurant and although it was not featured on his menu the chef it for us as a request. I so wish I had an induction hob I just hate cleaning the brass burners on my gas cooker top.
How nice that the chef took requests!
Francesca you can pick up individual induction hobs that plug in wherever you need them in the kitchen so you could use it alongside your gas cooker. They’re very reasonably priced on Amazon and great for use outdoors too in BBQ season if you have access to electricity via a long cable.
Yes I concur - I have one I use outside in the summer and then again as an extra hob at Christmas. Super useful and not expensive.
Sorry I meant Frances but Italian took over!