For ➋200 g regular whole-wheat thin spaghetti, vermicelli or capellini
50 g grated Parmigiano cheese*
puttanesca sauce
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to the directions.
Meanwhile make the puttanesca sauce.
When the pasta is done, drain it well* and add it to the sauce skillet, tossing it with the sauce to combine.
Serve on warmed plates. Top with grated cheese. Pour a generous glass of red wine.
*Alternatively, when the pasta has been drained, sprinkle with grated Parmigiano to make it rougher, so it will make the sauce stick better to the pasta.
The dish originated in Naples, its name derived from 'puttanesca', the hookers' way, as it was quick for the girls to prepare between customers. Or it was used to entice possible clients with a cheap, heated and aromatic meal into a brothel, nobody is really sure. Except that it is a very quick dish to make with ingredients straight from the (Italian) cupboard, even for regular housewives.
Picture shows WWII American GI searching entertainment in Naples.
Spicier variant: Spaghetti alla puttanesca.
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