Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (Lady of the Evening)

How this pasta is named is disputed. “The way a whore would make it” or simply quick and dirty, it represents a traditional Italian recipe which thought to have originated in Napoli. The sauce is usually served with spaghetti, although it may also be used with other dry pasta types like buca- tini, vermicelli or even rigatoni.

2 pounds peeled and seeded garden ripened tomatoes 3 cloves of garlic sliced
4 anchovy filets, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano (optional)
Garlic 

3 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 12 black olives, stoned and coarsely chopped

 2 tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoons chopped basil
1 small chopped hot red chili

Optionally, add squid slices of the mantle

Optionally, Cooked mussels

Pasta, 1 1/2 pounds
Salt

Heat a large covered pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Taste the water to insure salt level. When the water is boiling, start the sauce.

In a frying pan, cook tomatoes, olives, and chili over medium high heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Start boiling the pasta. Continue cooking the tomatoes for another four minutes then add garlic, capers and anchovies, optional squid and cook 2 minutes more on high heat. Remove from heat. Drain the pasta. Immediately toss with the sauce and garnish with chopped parsley.