Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is a quick and easy recipe that can be on the table in 20 minutes and tastes as if it came from your favorite Italian restaurant. The easy sauce is a mixture of tomatoes, garlic, olives, and one secret ingredient, anchovies (well I keep it a secret from the kids) that turns your pasta from good to fantastic! This Neapolitan Pasta Puttanesca is packed full of robust Italian flavors and is made with just a handful of ingredients. So grab your spaghetti and give it a go.
6anchovy fillets or 2 teaspoon anchovy paste - see note 1
1cupstoned black olives - see note 2
12ozspaghetti
1tablespoonsalt
¼cupolive oil- see note 3
½cupcrushed tomatoes or passata
fresh basil/parsley to serve
grated parmesan.
Instructions
Put a large pan of water on to boil. While the water is coming to a boil, prepare/chop the other ingredients and leave them on your chopping board ready for use. (see note 4)
Peel and thinly slice 6 garlic cloves.
Cut 1 cup of cherry tomatoes into halves (or quarter if large).
Roughly chop 6 anchovy fillets.
Chop 1 cup of stoned black olives. (See note 5)
Once the water has come to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and 12oz/340g of pasta. Stir to submerge the spaghetti and then cook for 1 minute less than the packet suggests. (Set your timer)
While the pasta is cooking, pour ¼ cup of olive oil into a large frying pan and add the sliced garlic, cook over medium heat until the garlic is just starting to sizzle.
Add in the chopped anchovies and stir to dissolve them in the oil.
Add in the tomato halves and the chopped black olives. Turn the heat to medium-high and once sizzling add in the ½ cup of crushed tomatoes.
Bring to a simmer for 2 minutes and then turn the heat to low.
Reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.
Add the pasta to the frying pan along with ½ cup of pasta water. Use tongs to turn and coat the pasta in the sauce.
Add more water as needed.
Check the seasoning (It shouldn't need salt) and serve garnished with fresh herbs and parmesan if desired.
Notes
Anchovy adds so much to this dish, but the result isn't fishy, just delicious! But if you are serving vegetarians or you don't want to use anchovy, then replace them with 2 tablespoons of drained roughly chopped capers.
You can use green olives if you prefer.
Use the best olive oil you can as the oil flavors the finished dish.
You want to prepare and chop all of the veg before you start cooking as everything comes together quickly. Just cut each ingredient as directed and push to the sides of your chopping board.
You can leave the olives chunky or chop them finely; this is down to personal preference. (I like them finely chopped)