That’s Amore

Let me start with just a neat little trick I have learned. In the recipe I call for using fish sauce (if you are used to using anchovies or anchovies paste use that). Fish Sauce is typically used in Asian cooking. It and soy sauce are great if you want to salt a dish and also add richness. Soy you have to be a little careful with because it has such a strong flavor. Next time you are making chili or a red sauce try it. It will give a richness to the dish.
1 large can petit diced
1/3 pound pancetta
3 tomatoes
½ red onion or 2 shallots
15 kalamatas
2 TBS fish sauce
1 TBS garlic
1 TBS Italian Seasoning
1 cup white wine (preferable not chardonnay)
1 pound pasta
Olive oil
2 tbs finely chopped fresh basil
This is easy to make but requires a few steps. It is also a dish I strongly suggest tasting before you add even a pinch of salt. Almost all the ingredients in themselves are salty. In fact, you could even forgot salting the tomatoes before drying them. I didn’t, but it wouldn’t hurt. Also if you like a little spice add some crushed red pepper.
Take the fresh tomatoes and slice, salt and pepper and drizzl with olive oil and put on baking sheets in the oven at 250 for about an hour. You don’t want them dried out and chewy, just the flavor concentrated. Set them aside
I like chunks of pancetta not slivers. So I went to the deli and got my pieces in inch slices and cubed them up. I then put them on a baking sheet in the oven and put them under the broiler for 3 minutes, stirred them and put back in for another two. I was just trying to crisp it up a little. Careful not to burn it. Set them aside.
The hard part is done. Cut up onions, add olive oil to pan and sauté on low for 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook until wine is reduced in half. Add pancetta, dried tomatoes (cut up), olives, can of tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning and fish sauce. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add basil, and stir to incorporate. Toss with pasta.