What's in YOUR Pantry?

Inspired by the Architect's Bag series in the Life of an Architect blog by Bob Borson, not only did I take a deeper look into my own bag, but into my pantry as well.  When I think about it, the two are very similar in that they both contain what I need to do my job well- whether it's marketing construction services, or cooking a meal.

Granted, my pantry is a little bigger than most, however the rule of thumb is the same: have enough ingredients to pull a meal together at a moment's notice- hence, Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (literally "spaghetti a la whore" in Italian) which is a tangy pasta dish invented in the mid-20th century by women who would put a simple pasta dish together for their gentleman callers. The ingredients are typical of Southern Italian cuisine: tomatoes, olive oil, olives, capers and garlic. 

I like to organize the pantry according to items that are used together such as baking items, dried spices, condiments, canned items, cereals, etc. Why is it important to organize the pantry?  It saves you money by identifying what you're using and not using, allows you to take stock of your cooking habits, and tells you what you should and should not buy in bulk. Need help getting started? Real Simple magazine has provided a checklist which you can print out which includes the essential items you should have on hand in both your pantry and your refrigerator: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/food/pantry-staples-checklist-00000000000197/

• Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
• 
  
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3-4 canned anchovies, chopped
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp small capers
• 3/4 cup pitted olives (black or green), roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 pound spaghetti
• Salt
• Olive oil for drizzling

 

1 Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep saute pan. When the oil is hot, sauté the onions until they're soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. While the onions are cooking, stir in the chopped anchovies along with some of the oil from the can. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

2 Mix in the tomato paste  and cook it for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, chili pepper flakes, and olives. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.

3 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When you add the spaghetti to the boiling water to cook, add the capers to the sauce and continue to simmer it gently. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, to al dente, cooked but still slightly firm.

4 Drain the pasta and put in a large bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil over the pasta and mix to combine. Stir the parsley into the pasta sauce. Add a ladle's worth of sauce to the pasta and mix to combine. Serve in shallow bowls with more sauce on top.