Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
A vibrant Neapolitan pasta tossed in a savoury tomato sauce with black olives, capers, garlic, anchovies, and chilli.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Large pasta pot
- •Large frying pan or skillet
- •Colander
- •Tongs
- •Chef knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 12 g
- carbs
- 78 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 15 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add coarse salt.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat.
- 3
Add the crushed garlic, chilli flakes, and anchovies to the hot oil.
- 4
Cook gently for two minutes until the anchovies melt into the oil.
- 5
Stir in the chopped olives and rinsed capers, cooking for one minute.
- 6
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- 7
Cook uncovered for fifteen minutes until the sauce thickens and deepens in colour.
- 8
Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until just shy of al dente.
- 9
Transfer the spaghetti directly into the simmering sauce using tongs.
- 10
Toss vigorously over medium heat for one minute to coat the pasta evenly.
- 11
Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Chef's tips
Rinse salted capers thoroughly before cooking to prevent the dish from becoming overly salty. Grated cheese is traditionally omitted to keep the briny flavours clean and sharp.
Ingredient substitutions
- Gaeta olives → Kalamata or other good-quality black olives
- anchovy fillets in oil → salt-packed anchovies, rinsed thoroughly
Storage
Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water until hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding grated cheese, which clashes with the pungent anchovy and caper flavours.
- •Over-salting the sauce without accounting for the natural salinity of olives, capers, and anchovies.
- •Draining the pasta completely dry instead of tossing it directly in the simmering pan with a little cooking water.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Spaghetti alla Puttanesca?
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