It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted. More time than I had planned, but as each month passed, I decided maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing that I’d taken a break. I wasn’t loving how I was feeling in this space or in the world of blogging as a whole. The thoughts that continuously crossed my mind: What is a blog? Who is it for? Why am I sharing my life and passion for food with the world? Is anyone reading it? Does it matter if anyone’s reading it?
Having some distance has helped answer a few of these questions. There’s no definition of what a blog has to be, how it looks, how it reads. My personal feeling is that a blog should be a welcoming environment, one that embodies the personality of its creator, and, hopefully, it will resonate with readers. Which is why I decided to return. Over the last few months, I have received emails and DMs from people who ask me when I’d start things up again. So, let’s give this a try. I can’t guarantee I will post often. I have a goal; one that I’m keeping in my head.
In my first dive back in, I’m starting with a dish that I have really grown to love. Pasta, for me, typically involve lots of butter and cheese. So, the fact that I appreciate this so much shows even without copious amounts of dairy, is a testament to how good a bowl of pasta puttanesca is. The richness comes from the olive oil and black olives and the blast of umami from anchovies. Fennel is an untraditional addition, but I am a big fan of the stuff and really like the subtle sweetness it provides. It was so good that the big pan I made almost didn’t make it past lunchtime.
Pasta Puttanesca
Yield:
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb, chopped
Oil-cured black olives, sliced into rounds
3 anchovies packed in oil
24-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed (with hands or fork)
2 tablespoons jarred capers
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1 lb spaghetti or linguine
Basil leaves, for garnish
Toasted panko (recipe below), optional
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (following directions on the box).
Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Add garlic and anchovies and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until garlic is lightly browned. Add chopped fennel and cook for 3 minutes, giving it a stir every minute or so.
Add the tomatoes and bring the heat up to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down, approximately 10 minutes. Add capers, black olives, and red pepper flakes.
Drain pasta and transfer to the pan with the sauce. Using tongs, toss the pasta with the sauce. Drizzle in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with more salt, if desired.
Serve in bowls and garnish with fresh basil and toasted panko.
Toasted panko
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup panko
Kosher salt
Directions:
Melt butter in a medium-skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko and cook, stirring often, until it’s turned golden brown in color. Season with kosher salt, to taste. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
