Tomatoes, Olives , Capers snd Basil Spaghetti Sauce

Puttanesca sauce is made from tomatoes, black olives, capers, anchovies,  garlic, and herbs, usually oregano and parsley but sometimes also basil.  It is an easy sauce, briefly cooked, or  no cooed and served cold in summertime It' s very fragrant and spicy.  The name derives from the Italian word "puttana" which means whore.  Why does we call it with this name?  There are multiple explanations.
Whatever its origins, Puttanesca is a tasty sauce.  There are many different recipes, most of them varying on the amounts of the ingredients.  Below there is the one we prefer

Salsa alla Puttanesca

150g black olives

150g green olives

500g peeled tomatoes

6 anchovies

1 spoonful  of capers

garlic

Salt  and pepper

Oregano

Olive oil

Chop  the garlic, olives, anchovies and cappers . Put them in a saucepan with oil and fry gently for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, season to taste with salt , pepper and oregano. Simmer for a further 20 minutes. Cook the pasta an pour over the sauce, toss everything together and serve at once or put in the oven at 200° C for 10 minutes.

Suggestion: in summer you can use fresh tomatoes. Cut tomatoes and olives, anchovies and caper and place them in a bowl. Add the oil, mixing well. Cook the pasta and add immediately the sauce.  Put it in the refrigerator for a few hours

Aromatic Herbs and Tomatoes Crostini

Aromatic herbs in the garden ? Mint, Tarragon , parsley and tomatoes for a fresh summer appetizer

Crostini Empoli

• 3 spoonfuls of parsley
• ½spoonful of tarragon
• 5 mint leaves
• 3 spoonfuls of capers
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 2 tomatoes
• ½small glass of olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Chop up parsley, tarragon, mint, capers, egg, add a spoonful of oil and salt in a bowl.

 In another bowl, cut the tomatoes into small pieces. Then mix them with the rest of the oil, salt and pepper.

 Place the two bowls in the fridge for one hour. Then, mix the two sauces .Place them on some slices of bread and serve.

This recipe was also named on Cooking Light by the editor.

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Peperoncini Piccanti Ripieni

With the holidays approaching we think about what may be  a nice gift for relatives and friends. Of course, small little things to eat and so

Spicy Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

500 gr. Spicy Round Peppers  

Ingredients for the filling: 4  Anchovies  in salt

2 tbs. Capers in vinegar

  200 gr. drained Tuna in  oil

Ingredients for cooking peppers: 6 Peppper grains

Salt to taste

250 ml white wine vinegar

250 ml   White Wine 

3 Cloves  

2 Laurel  leaves

½ tbs. Oregano

3 grains  Juniper

For the preparation must equip yourselves with patience  a few but good ingredients Wash the peperoncini, remove  the stalk  with a pointed blade  and empty them completely empty  helping  yourselves with a small spoon. Pour the white wine in a saucepan, add the vinegar and spices and salt, then bring it all to a boil: the first boil, throw in the peperoncini  and cook for 3-4 minutes on low heat, then drain and place them upside down on a clean cloth (or paper towels) to dry for several hours .The peppers should be very dry, it will be drier and more will be retained. Prepare the filling  by placing in a blender tuna, capers and anchovies .Use the mixer  only for a few seconds (count to 5), just the time it takes for the ingredients to blend in .

Using a small spoon, fill the peppers one by one with the mixture. 

Take the sterilized jars and fill them with stuffed peppers, being careful to place them straight, fill the jar of oil to cover them completely, then close them  and place them in a cool, dry, dark place. If you prefer you can let them for 20 minutes in boiling  water. These peperoncini, if well preserved, are kept for a year.

Here' s a quick way to cook artichokes

Artichokes are typical of Mediterranean area, Italy, Spain, Greek since the Roman time Their cultivation is typical of winter time . Today we have thought to  give you ome of the most typical Italian recipe with artichokes

Carciofi Ripieni

Stuffed Artichokes

8 artichokes

4 anchovies

50g breadcrumbs

parsley

1 spoonful of capers

1 clove of garlic

1 glass of oil

1 lemon

Salt,pepper

Clean the artichokes and place them in water and lemon juice. Lightly fry the chopped garlic and parsley in the oil. Chop the anchovies. In a frying pan, toast the breadcrumbs in a little oil, then add them to the garlic and oil together with the anchovies and the capers. Mix well and spread the mixture inside each artichoke. Then place the artichokes upright in an oven dish. Sprinkle them with the remaining oil and a glass of water.

Place in the oven for approx.30 minutes at a low temperature (160°C).