Puttanesca sauce is a robust Italian pasta sauce usually served over pasta, though I have served it over spiralised zucchini. Here, I have cooked it in a Dutch oven with bite-size pieces of chicken. My sauce has a couple of additional items in it – anchovies and harissa paste – and both are optional. I also browned the onions and seared the chicken before adding them to the pot – this is to increase the flavor.
2 tbsp. olive oil seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion – chopped
2 large cloves of garlic – grated
2 chicken breasts – cut into bite size pieces
1 x 28 oz can of tomatoes (San Marzano if possible)
1 tbsp. double concentrated tomato paste
12 black olives – pits removed, then halved
1 tbsp. capers
4 anchovies – cut up
1 good tsp. harrisa paste
Heat 1 tbsp. of oil seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper in a frying pan and when sizzling cook the onion until soft and browned then add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Pour another good tbsp. of oil into the pan and season. When good and hot tip in the chicken pieces and brown.
Place the onion and chicken in a Dutch oven, pour over the tomatoes and break up slightly, stir in the tomato paste, add the olives, capers anchovies and harissa paste. Bring to a boil then simmer for 40 minutes. Serve over pasta.
