Mary Alice: Susan had met the enemy and she was a slut.
Mike: What’s this?
Edie: Sausage puttanesca. Just something I threw together.
Mike:That’s great. I’d invite you both in, but I was sort of in the middle of something.

–Desperate Housewives – Episode 01.01 – Pilot

It turns out that Bree isn’t the only cook on Wisteria Lane! When watching this episode, I’ve always wondered about this sausage puttanesca. After a bit of research, I found an interesting correlation (and a great recipe). Apparently, puttanesca is an Italian pasta sauce. Surprisingly, the word “puttanesca” was derived from “puttana” (Italian) or “puta” (Spanish Vulgar) which means prostitute, whore, slut, etc. The writers for Desperate Housewives are so cleaver! They had Edie, who by Mary Alice’s judgment was a slut, serve Mike whore sauce. The symbolism!

The connection between “women of easy virtue” and pasta sauce comes from Naples. Prostitutes made this slightly spicy sauce with pasta for two reasons. 1) It enticed male customers as they set it on the windowsill. 2) It was the quickest and cheapest thing to make between “clients.” Like Edie said, its just something they “threw together.”

So, I decided to try this puttanesca sauce and combine a couple of recipes that I found while adding my own variation. I call it, “Edie’s Pasta alla Puttanesca!” And of course, since I am vegetarian, I have omitted the anchovies (and sausages). Feel free to add it if you like.

Edie’s Pasta alla Puttanesca Recipe

• Olive Oil
• 1 Onion Diced
• 2 Cloves of Garlic Minced
• 1/4 Cup of Red Wine
• 8 Quartered Regular Black Olives
• 4-8 Quartered Kalmata Olives.
• 1 Can of Chopped or Crushed Tomatoes
• 1/4-1/2 Small Can of Tomato Paste
• 3 tsp. of Capers. Find these near the olives, pickles, and banana peppers. They look like whole black peppers soaked in brime.
• 1 tsp. of Crushed Chilies. This is the stuff you put on pizza to make it spicy.
• Oregano, Salt, Black Pepper, and Parsley
• Any pasta of your choice. Please! Try to use something my interesting than just plain-Jane spaghetti!

1. Cook the pasta normally while making the sauce.
2. Heat the oil. Then, sauté the onions and garlic with red wine.
3. Add both olives and sauté.
4. Add the can of tomatoes.
5. Mix in the tomato paste. The consistency should be similar to normal pasta sauce in a jar.
6. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and let the sauce simmer until the pasta is done.

The next time you cook for your friends who are Desperate Housewives fans, make them Edie’s Pasta alla Puttanesca. They’ll be impressed. Believe me, my sister told me that it was probably the best thing that I’ve ever cooked, which I find a little insulting. 🙂