Olive & Caper Sauce with Fusilli

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olive and caper sauce with fusilli
  • Cook Time
  • Prep Time
  • 6Servings

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons EVOO
  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 28 ounce can italian plum tomatoes; preferably san marzano, crushed
  • 2 large ribs celery, thinly sliced (1 cup)
  • coarse salt
  • 1 cup pitted olives, preferably a mix of black oil-cured and green, halved
  • 1/3 cup drained nonpareil capers in brine
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 pound fusilli
  • 1/2 cup grated grana padano or parmigiano-reggiano

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. in a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup EVOO over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until sizzling and golden around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper; toast for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, celery and 1/2 tsp. salt. Fill the tomato can with 1 cup pasta water and swish to collect any remaining tomato juices; add to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a boil. Stir in the olives, lower the heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the capers and parsley and simmer for a few minutes.

When the sauce is about halfway done, add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook until al dente; drain and add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Continue cooking and tossing the pasta in the sauce until well coated. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tbsp. EVOO; toss again. Remove from the heat, then toss with the cheese.