Skillet pasta puttanesca

I had never had puttanesca sauce before so I wasn't really sure what to expect. 

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But, my husband and I both really like olives (and pasta and cheese), so I thought that this would be a hit. I found a recipe on my friend Christine's blog, Christine's Cuisine, which she had made from a Cook's Illustrated recipe. The recipe was really easy and it was tasty. 

An extra bonus was that it was a one skillet meal (Thanks, Christine)! We ate this on a blustery day with some fresh garlic bread and were quite happy. The recipe below is a slightly modified version. 

My husband is very salt sensitive, so I lowered the salt amount - especially with the salty olives, anchovies, and Parmesan cheese. We also love garlic and red pepper, so I bumped these ingredients up. 

I also used penne pasta instead of ziti. But, overall the recipe is basically the same. I never cooked with anchovies before, but they were not all all offensive in any way and probably help to give the sauce a depth of flavor. This recipe will serve 4 to 6 people. 

Skillet pasta puttanesca
1 tablespoon olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups water
12 ounces ziti (or penne) pasta
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, water, pasta, and salt. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer. Cook until pasta is almost tender, about 15-18 minutes.

Stir in the wine, Parmesan, basil, and olives. Check for salt and adjust, if needed.

Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and golden. about 8-10 minutes. Serve hot and top with extra basil, if desired.