When researching this classic Italian dish, I learned that "puttana" means lady of the evening. And this quick-to-prepare and quick-to-eat dish is the one she would use to seduce her clients. The sauce is chunky, bold, and dramatic, as you might expect.

Ingredients

12 ounces spaghetti

2 tbsp. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

One 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (reserve the juice)

¼ c. coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tbsp. minced fresh basil, or 1 tsp. dried

2 tsp. minced fresh oregano, or ½ tsp dried (see Tip)

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/3 c. sliced Kalamata olives (about 12 pitted olives)

1 tbsp. capers, drained and rinsed

¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper, or to taste

1/8 tsp. salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese for garnish

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat; add salt, then the spaghetti. When the water returns to a boil, stir occasionally to separate the spaghetti. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package instructions, until the noodles are al dente.

While the spaghetti is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes with juice, parsley, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low; stir in the remaining ingredients.

When the spaghetti is done, drain well; return to the pot. Add the tomato sauce and toss over medium heat just until heated through. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Advance Preparation

Covered and refrigerated, the sauce will keep for up to 2 days. Reheat and toss with hot freshly cooked spaghetti.

Paulette Mitchell, a culinary instructor, television personality, spokesperson, and the award-winning author of 12 cookbooks, is known internationally for her quick-to-prepare recipes with gourmet flair. Paulette’s most recently published cookbooks are “A Beautiful Bowl of Soup” and “The Spirited Vegetarian,” which was voted “Best Book in the World on Cooking with Wine” at the 2005 Gourmand World Media Awards. Paulette says that international travel is her favorite source of culinary inspiration. . To buy Paulette Mitchell's cookbooks, click here.