Welcome to “Mia in the Kitchen,” a cooking series where our staff writer Mia Zarrella shares her favorite recipes.
Growing up, I refused to eat anything that wasn’t pasta or pizza and now that I’m 25 years old, not much has changed. As a third-generation Italian, these dietary preferences are in my blood. Yet, as the granddaughter of Italian restaurant owners, cooking is also second nature to me. One of my favorite pasta dishes is bucatini puttanesca. I love the saltiness that comes from the olives and capers, and if I were to pick one noodle to eat forever, it would be bucatini. This thin, hollow noodle is so underrated in my opinion. It collects the sauce perfectly! Okay, I’ll stop rambling now. Let’s get cooking.
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 cup chopped Italian-style green olives
3 tablespoons capers
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for garnish
1 can (28 ounces) peeled tomatoes, drained and broken up
1 sprig fresh basil for garnish
Coarse salt
Pepper
1 pound bucatini pasta
Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. (It should taste like the sea!) Add olive oil and garlic to a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the garlic begins to sizzle, but not brown. Next, add your olives, capers, and some red pepper flakes and stir. Once mixed, toss in your broken-up peeled tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for roughly 15 minutes. Feel free to finish off with some basil sprigs. Make sure to give it a taste to see if you need more seasonings, too.
Once the water is boiled, add the pasta and cook until extra al dente. I recommend tasting the pasta as it cooks. You don’t want it perfectly cooked because you will be adding it to your saucepan to finish cooking. Once the pasta tastes about 2 minutes away from being done, drain it and toss with the sauce. Now you’re ready to serve! Top with additional red pepper flakes, grated cheese, and freshly torn basil leaves.
Looking to get creative with your recipes? Click here for more not-so-traditional cooking tutorials like dairy-free Caesar salad and one-pan GF chicken parm. (Just don’t tell my ancestors!)
Buon appetito!
By Mia Zarrella, Staff Writer
