Quick and Easy.

Joy of cooking referred to this easy spaghetti sauce as "Streetwalker's Sauce". I'd love to know the story behind that! This pasta sauce is easy, quick, and freezes well. The tomatoes add sweetness, the olives add some tang, the anchovies add depth and flavor, and the hot pepper gives it some kick!

This recipe makes enough for 2 lbs of pasta. Use half now, and freeze the other half for another time.

Puttanesca Sauce, adapted from The Joy of Cooking

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
half a small tin of anchovies, chopped
three 28oz cans chopped, diced, and/or crushed tomatoes, with juice
1 cup chopped kalamata olives (buy the pitted ones in the jar)
small can tomato paste
1 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp dried red pepper flakes
2 tbsp capers (optional)
salt to taste

in large heavy pot over medium heat, heat oil, and saute onions until soft and starting to brown (5-10 minutes). Then add garlic and anchovies and stir to break up the anchovies against the bottom of the pot. when the garlic starts to change color (maybe another minute or two), add the rest of the ingredients except salt. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 45 minutes, then season to taste with salt and additional basil and red pepper flakes if you so wish.

If freezing, let cool to room temperature before freezing.