Puttanesca Sauce

By Christine Burns Rudalevige

Feature Image by Derek BIssonnette

Here is Four Star Fresh’s take on this classic southern Italian sauce reputedly made by prostitutes to lure their customers into the brothel with its aroma. It is traditionally paired with spaghetti. Buy Four Star Fresh’s spaghetti at their commercial kitchen space in the Biddeford North Dam Mill building, at Part and Parcel in Biddeford, and at the Kennebunk farmer’s market in summertime.

Print Recipe

Makes

cups

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion peeled and julienned
3 anchovies in oil
2 large garlic cloves peeled and chopped
1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
½ cup Kalamata olives chopped
1 ½ tablespoons brined capers drained
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine olive oil and onion. Cook until softened, 3–4 minutes.
Add anchovies, using a spoon to smooth them into a paste.
Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds.
Add tomatoes with juices and break them into pieces.
Add Kalamata olives, capers, herbs, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt.

About the author

Christine Burns Rudalevige

Christine is a former Editor-in-Chief of edible MAINE. She has lived in many places, including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, England and France. But her professional world has consistently been grounded in just two: in journalism and in the kitchen. Throughout her 30-year writing career, she’s covered sports, politics, business and technology. But for the past 10 years after completing culinary school, she’s focused on food. Her words and recipes about eating locally and sustainably have appeared in publications from The Portland Press Herald to Fine Cooking. Her award-winning cookbook Green Plate Special was published in 2017. When she’s not laboring over a cutting board or a keyboard, she’s learning from her two semi-adult children, a community of food-minded friends, hundreds of productive Maine farmers, thousands of innovative chefs near and far, and her 30,000 honeybees.