Beating the Winter Blues!

The end of January and the end to my dry January. In all honesty it hasn't been hard to go without alcohol as the social scene has been fairly quiet and for the first couple of weeks I was under the weather (and under the duvet) with a bad cold and therefore could barely taste anything anyway.

At times of ill health most people turn to chicken broth; but not we vegetarians. What's needed is a wholesome dish with robust flavours to lift the spirits and plenty of garlic to ward off evil spirits and bugs. That's when The Vegetarian Tart turns to Pasta "Puttanesca" (or Tart's Spaghetti)! In Italy a puttanesca is known as a lady of the night/tart/slattern/slut. It could be the fiery kick that gives it its name or it could be the laziness associated with using tins and jars of ingredients.  Either way, it's well worth making.  

This dish appears on many menus and in recipe books but here is my quick and easy version. 

Serves 2

200g dried pasta - my favourite is cavatappi as the sauce clings to it

Cook for 10 mins in plenty of salted boiling water reduced to a simmer or according to packet instructions

2 tblspoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic minced

1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped

2 tblspoons basil chopped

Heat the oil in a pan and add the other 3 ingredients until garlic is golden.

Then add the next ingredients:-

1 large tin (400g) chopped tomatoes

1 tblspoon tomato puree

1 jar (240g) pitted chopped black olives drained

3 tblspoons capers drained

salt and pepper

Turn the heat down and simmer for 20mins until sauce thickens.

Mix your drained pasta into the sauce, seasoning if necessary.  Serve in wide bowls with a sprinkle of more chopped basil and lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

If dry January has passed you could always have a glass of wine with it!