Whore Pasta with Chicken

So da Zigster and I were watching some cooking thing on tv the other day. I don't remember what it was, but they were doing a

Pasta Puttanesca

Zig, lover of all things wordy, says, "Wait. Isn't 'puttanesca' the Italian word for whore?"

I replied, "Uh huh. I think it's

derived from it, anyway

Laughingly, I commented that maybe they named it that because of the addition of anchovies...an intensely salty/fishy little...fish.

Ok, so in this case, it actually means something worthless or garbage.

Aaaanywho, what I caught of the recipe sounded good, so I gave it a whirl last night. 'Course, I didn't bother to find the recipe ahead of time...just winged it. But I chose to go with the "literal" meaning of the word when naming my own recipe. heh

Naturally, our little grocery store here in town didn't have anything even resembling anchovy paste, but they did have some little tins of anchovy fillets, wrapped around capers. Worked great since the recipe calls for capers, anyway. The anchovies just melt into the sauce, giving it a unique flavor.

Whore Pasta with Chicken

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, roasted & cut into bite-sized pieces
1 14.5 oz Rold Gold petite-diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can Rold Gold tomato sauce
8 oz water
1/2 medium sized onion, chopped finely
1/2 large green pepper, chopped finely
5-6 medium to large cloves of fresh garlic, grated
1 small tin anchovy fillets, drained
A handful of capers
1 teaspoon dried basil
Red pepper flakes to taste
1 handful chopped fresh basil leaves for garnish
1 14 oz box whole wheat pasta of your choice (I used spaghetti)

Drizzle a little olive oil on your chicken breasts, salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees til done...20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts. When cool, chop into bite-sized pieces.

Drizzle a little olive oil in a pan, add the onion and pepper and sautee until softened. Add the anchovies and continue to sautee until they dissolve. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, basil, red pepper flakes and capers. Reduce heat, throw in the roasted chicken and let simmer for an hour or so.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta to just al dente and drain.

When the sauce is done, toss with cooked pasta and garnish with the chopped, fresh basil.

This isn't a heavy sauce, at all, unlike most of the jar sauces. It'd be great for a light summer supper. It'd have been even better if I'd have thought to halve a few fresh grape tomatoes and throw 'em in with the tossed pasta. I'll remember that, next time. I think I might also add chopped black olives next time. I noticed that the recipe I looked at after I made my own called for 'em.

Oh...and remember...don't add salt until you taste it. The anchovies are really salty.

Bon appetit!