Conchiglie alla Puttanesca from Napoli (Vegan)

The name of this beautiful, beach-evoking pasta shape derives from the Italian word for seashell, “conchiglia”. The Italian word “conchiglie”, just like the English word “conch”, shares the same Greek root in the form of kochýli, which means “shell”.

And whilst you may not find grains of sand from the Italian coastline within this week's fresh, gluten free conchiglie, you will find that they are the perfect shape to accommodate this week’s limited edition plant-based puttanesca sauce. Born in Naples, the largest city of the Campania region, which is also home to the Amalfi Coast, puttanesca is a gutsy, tomato-based sauce, made with plenty of garlic. Traditionally, it’s also made with anchovies fished in the Bay of Naples, giving it a deep, savoury taste. We’ve found, though, that the inclusion of fresh olives and capers, salty and savoury in their own right, is more than ample to give this sauce its characteristic flavour.

The backstory of pasta “alla puttanesca”, too, is equally full of character. The term ‘’pasta alla puttanesca’’ quite literally refers to pasta made ‘’in the manner of a prostitute”. Shocking, we know! Food writers have debated the nomenclature since the dish emerged in the 60s, but the common understanding, though not uttered
by more squeamish commentators, is that the dish was born in Naples’ case di appuntamenti (‘’appointment houses’’). We hope you’ll be able to infer the meaning of an ‘’appuntamento’’, so we needn’t utter it. As preparing the puttanesca sauce was a labour of mere minutes - indeed, simply ‘’throwing whatever together’’ - this could be done between other, er, obligations.

Ingredients 

Menu Card

Nutrition