Get the App

Recipes

Find a Recipe Blue Ribbon Recipes Pinch It!™ Feed Browse All Recipes

Editorial

Food Bites & Articles Videos What is a Blue Ribbon? Meet the Test Kitchen

Community

Member Recipes Groups Sweepstakes Contests Shopping

puttanesca awesome sauce

(2 ratings)
sokygal avatar
Recipe by
Teresa G.
@sokygal
Here, KY

This sauce is my own version of an Italian classic. I make it with fresh, organic tomatoes and herbs from our garden and some "secret" ingredients from the grocery store. They're a secret because my husband can't stand them! He loves this sauce, but he has no idea that it is made with anchovies, capers and kalamata olives, ha ha! It is some awesome sauce! (Prep time is approximate.)

(2 ratings)
yield serving(s)
prep time 3 Hr
cook time 1 Hr 30 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For puttanesca awesome sauce

  • 10 c
    fresh homegrown tomatoes with juice (about 10-12 medium, peeled, seeded & chopped; see *note)
  • 2 Tbsp
    olive oil, extra virgin
  • 1 Tbsp
    fresh garlic, finely minced
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp
    chopped fresh basil
  • 2 tsp
    minced fresh oregano
  • 1 tsp
    finely minced fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp
    dried italian herb seasoning
  • 2
    bay leaves
  • 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
    salt (depends on your taste)
  • 1/8 tsp
    freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp
    sugar
  • 1 tsp
    balsamic vinegar
  • 6
    anchovy fillets
  • 10-12
    kalamata olives, pitted chopped
  • 1 Tbsp
    capers

How To Make puttanesca awesome sauce

  • 1
    *NOTE: If locally grown, non-greenhouse tomatoes are not available, canned san marzano tomatoes (Italian plum tomatoes) may be substituted for fresh. Also, tomato varieties vary on levels of sweet and tart, so taste and adjust the amount of sugar and/or balsamic vinegar used.
  • 2
    Gather and prep all ingredients. (To prep fresh tomatoes, wash tomatoes; cut a small "X" in the skin at the blossom end; 1/2 fill a large saucepan with water; place on high heat; when water begins to boil, add several tomatoes; return to boil; remove tomatoes, after 30 seconds, to an extra-large bowl of ice water. Repeat with remainder of tomatoes. Gather 2 large bowls, a heavy-duty spoon, a paring knife and a wire mesh strainer. Place strainer over one of the bowls. Holding a tomato over the strainer, use knife to remove core; discard core; peel tomato (skin should slip off easily) and place skin in strainer; cut tomato into quarters and use clean fingers to remove all seeds into the strainer; place prepared tomatoes in the second bowl. Repeat with remaining tomatoes. Use heavy-duty spoon to smash skins and seeds in strainer to release all their juice. Discard skins and seeds. Add remaining juice to bowl with tomatoes.
  • 3
    For chunky sauce (preferred,) coarse chop tomatoes either by hand with a chef's knife, with kitchen shears in the bowl or by pulsing in a food processor or blender. If smoother sauce is preferred, purée tomatoes in blender or food processor.
  • 4
    Pour tomatoes and all remaining ingredients into a 5-7 quart sauce pot or Dutch oven.
  • 5
    Bring to boil over high heat, stirring feequently; reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 1/2 hours. Sauce should have reduced by more than half.
  • 6
    Remove bay leaves from sauce.
  • 7
    Serve over pasta, chicken etc... Use as you would use any marinara or spaghetti sauce. Refrigerate leftovers.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
ADVERTISEMENT