Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is a traditional Italian pasta from Naples that is fast to prepare with pantry goods. If you have canned tomatoes, garlic, olives, anchovies, and capers on hand, you can quickly make this simple yet flavorful sauce. It’s a fantastic emergency meal that everyone should know, with a “saucy” tale all its own!
Ingredients:
- 200g / 7oz spaghetti , or other long pasta
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , plus more for drizzling
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced (knife, not garlic press)
- 3 anchovy fillets , finely minced (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup pitted black olives , preferably in oil, quartered (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp capers , drained (Note 3)
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 400g / 14oz can crushed tomato (or hand crush whole canned tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp fresh oregano , roughly chopped (sub 1/4 tsp dried)
- 1/8 tsp kosher / cooking salt (or 2 pinches table salt)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp sugar , if needed (depends on tomato quality, Note 4)
- 2 tbsp fresh basil
Instructions:
Step No.01
Prepare: Bring a big pot of water to a boil before adding the pasta. Warm serving bowls (I microwave for 1 minute).
Step No.02
To cook garlic, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 15 seconds, until the garlic begins to turn golden.
Step No.03
Cook anchovies: Combine the anchovies, capers, olives, and chili flakes. Cook for one minute.
Step No.04
Tomato: Add the tomato to the can, followed by 1/2 cup water. Swirl to rinse, then pour into the skillet.
Step No.05
Simmer: Add the oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until the tomato has broken down and formed a sauce. If you are not using cooked pasta, turn off the stove when it is ready.
Step No.06
Cook pasta: Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons salt to the saucepan of water. Then add the pasta and cook according to the package guidelines.
Step No.07
Reserve pasta water (Note 5): Just before draining, remove a mugful of pasta cooking water and set aside. Then drain the spaghetti in a colander.
Step No.08
Toss spaghetti: Stir pasta into the sauce immediately. Add 1/4 cup of pasta boiling water from the previous step (Note 5), then toss the pasta for 1 minute over a low heat, or until the sauce is no longer in the skillet but sticking to the pasta threads. If the pasta becomes too dry, add additional pasta boiling water and mix.
Step No.09
Serve immediately in hot bowls. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately!
Full Recipes:https://www.recipetineats.com/spaghetti-alla-puttanesca/