SHELLS WITH PUTTANESCA SAUCE

Pasta Entree or first course - Vegetarian - Vegan - Lactose free - Gluten free (READ notes below)

1 lb Italian shells (conchiglie)
1 14-oz can Italian San Marzano peeled tomatoes DOP, roughly chopped
1/3 cup Italian dried black olives
1 tbsp Italian capers, packed in salt and rinsed
1 garlic clove, peeled and quartered
1 pinch of hot pepper flakes
2 tbsp Italian extra virgin olive oil
Italian coarse sea salt

Bring a large pot of water to boil.

In the meantime, in a large non-stick skillet, warm up the olive oil and sautee garlic until golden, the add tomatoes, olives, capers and hot pepper flakes and simmer for 10 minutes or until it starts thickening.

When water starts boiling, add salt, then add pasta and stir, cover with a lid until it resumes boiling, stirring pasta to avoid sticking to each other too much.

When pasta is close to "al dente" (about 5-7 minutes for this shape), drain and transfer to the skillet with your sauce and sautee, stirring , for another couple of minutes. This way your pasta will absorb the sauce flavor, getting much better.

This recipe serves 5-6, depending on whatelse is served.

- Always use capers packed in salt and rinsed: this way you'll get only their flavor instead of brine/vinegar flavor. Sicilian ones are the best: the once from Pantelleria are on top!!!
- Try to use only Italian San Marzano tomatoes: they are the best!
- This recipe should be made with a long cut pasta, but I love this one because of the way it holds sauce!
- There are 2 versions of this recipe: one from Naples (the one I'm posting) and one from Lazio, that adds anchovies. Both of them can be finished with a touch of freshly chopped parsley.
- It's vegetarian, vegan, lactose free. It can be gluten free if you use gluten free pasta.