Spaghetti a la Puttanesca is a simple pasta dish, using the strong flavours of capers, olives, garlic, chilli and sometimes anchovies to liven up a tomato base. The strong flavour of celery can stand up to, and is complemented by the salty, umami rich ingredients. As well as using it as a pasta sauce, you can serve this on its own as a light meal, or serve it as a side dish – I think it would go nicely with fish although I have yet to try that. It’s also a great way to use up sad, limp celery that isn’t appealing to use raw. I have even made this using celery that got completely frozen at the back of the fridge and it was still yummy!
Ingredients
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4 or 5 sticks of celery
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2 cloves of garlic
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Handful of chopped parsley or basil to garnish (optional)
From the cupboard
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1 tbsp olive oil
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A tin of tomatoes
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a small handful of black olives
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1 tbsp capers
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A pinch of chilli flakes
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2 anchovies (optional)
Method:
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Slice the celery into bite sized, 1 inch chunks
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Peel and finely slice the garlic
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Heat the oil in a thick bottomed sauce pan. When hot, add the garlic and cleery and cook for a minute or two, stirring regularly, until it is fragrant and starting to brown
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Add the remaining ingredients – tomatoes, black olives, capers and chilli flakes (and anchovies if you are not veggie).
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Stew over a low heat for at least 20 minutes. At this point the celery will still be quite crunchy. Cook longer, and top up the tomatoes with a splash of water, for a softer and more comforting version.
Recipe design by Alice