Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

A raunchy name (la puttana is a prostitute) for a delicious sauce from the slums of Rome that can be made quickly from canned goods. Keep these ingredients in stock and you will always be able to feed yourselves and others. A gutsy sauce that is good for late nights and hangovers.

Ingredients

Spaghetti
6 anchovies, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Chilli powder or cayenne pepper to taste
600 grams canned peeled plum tomatoes ( 2 cans )
2/3 cup black pitted olives, sliced
1 tablespoon of capers



Instructions

1. Put olive oil, chilli powder, anchovies and garlic in a large frying pan and cook at medium heat for two minutes, mashing the anchovies with a fork
2. Add the tomatoes, olives and capers and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently
3. Cook the spaghetti accordig to the packet instructions
4. Drain spaghetti and put into the frying pan and fry for 1 minute, stirring all the time
5. If your frying pan is not large enough, don't worry, just pour the sauce over the cooked spaghetti and stir rigourously (not much is lost compared to the last minute frying described in 4)
6. Serve immediately with parmesan

Spaghetti Vongole

Use the smallest, freshest clams you can find. The quality of the clams will "make or break" this dish.

Ingredients

Clams
Olive oil
White wine
Garlic
Flat leaf parsley
Spaghetti or linguine

Directions

Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Once the water is boiling rapidly, cook the pasta. In the mean time ...

1. Soak the clams in a large bowl of cold water for about an hour. Keep changing the water until it is clear. The clams will spit out sand. If the outside of the shell is dirty, scrub the clams with a brush.
2. Heat 3/4 cup of olive oil in a large pan
3. Add 3/4 cup white wine and 6 cloves of garlic that hae been peeled and sliced
4. When the mixture is hot and bubbling, add the clams, stir, and cover the pot with a lid
5. Cook on high heat until all the clams are open, stirring often
6. Add the chopped parsley and salt and pepper, stir and cook for 1 -2 minutes more

7. Pour the clam mixture on top of your spaghetti or linguine and serve immediately

You do not need cheese for this, or any other seafood pasta

Green Beans

Ingredients

Green beans
butter

Directions

1. Take the little ends off the top and bottom of the beans. This is boring so do it while listening or watching something interesting.
2. Bring a frying pan of water to boil
3. Immerse the beans in the water for 4 minutes. The beans should be bright green and still crisp. After 4 minutes pour out the water and set beans aside.
4. In the frying pan, melt lots of butter and let it get very hot but not start to smoke and burn.
5. Begin to toss the beans in the very hot butter and keep tossing until the beans begin to darken. It is important to keep the heat high. You can listen for the sizzle of the beans. Keep stirring for another 4 -5 minutes.
6. Add lots of salt and pepper, stir and serve