Name: Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 180 g Pasta, spaghetti shape preferred; 1½ L Water, for boiling pasta; ¾ tsp Salt, use lightly because anchovies and capers are salty; 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 3 clove Garlic, thinly sliced; 4 Anchovies, fillets, chopped; 1 tbsp Capers, rinsed if very salty; ⅓ cup Black Olives, pitted and sliced; ½ tsp Chilli Flakes; ¾ cup Tomato Puree, smooth; ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper

28 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 18 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

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Method

Boil the measured water, add the measured salt, and cook the pasta until just al dente.
Reserve a small ladle of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add garlic and anchovies, then cook gently until the anchovies melt into the oil.
Add capers, black olives, and chilli flakes. Stir briefly.
Add tomato puree and black pepper powder. Simmer until the sauce becomes slightly thick and bold in flavor.
Add the drained pasta and toss well. Add reserved pasta water only if the sauce feels too tight.
Taste before adding more salt, then serve hot.

How to tell it's done

The pasta should be coated with a thick tomato sauce, with visible olive and caper pieces.

Getting it right

Tip

Let the anchovies dissolve into the oil; this gives depth without making the pasta taste overly fishy.

What to serve it with

Serve hot as a bold lunch or dinner pasta.

Common mistakes

The sauce becomes too salty.: Rinse very salty capers, let anchovies melt into the oil, and adjust salt only at the end.

Substitutions

Do not add extra salt before tasting; anchovies, capers, and olives already bring saltiness.
Use less chilli flakes for a milder pasta.
Skipping Anchovies changes the dish from classic puttanesca to a vegetarian tomato-olive pasta.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate puttanesca for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water; freezing is not recommended once mixed with pasta.

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Ingredients