pasta puttanesca

spaghetti alla puttanesca

4 servings

Looking for something super quick but super satisfying? Classic pasta puttanesca is the answer. A chunky sauce made with tomatoes, olives, anchovies, and capers gives spaghetti the bold flavors that you crave.

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Ingredients

Salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 whole dried chili pepper, broken into bits, or 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, drained and roughly chopped
1 cup pitted black olives, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons salt-packed capers, rinsed, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes, then rinsed again
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 pound spaghetti

Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil.

Heat oil, garlic and chili (with seeds) in a large skillet over medium heat until warm. Add anchovies and continue to heat, breaking up anchovies with a fork. Add tomatoes and stir to combine. Add olives, capers and tomato paste; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta and return to pot. Immediately add sauce and stir to combine; warm over low heat, tossing, until sauce coats pasta well, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

August 2008

keywords:

appetizer quick fast simple main course easy pasta, spaghetti, tomatoes, capers, anchovy, black olives

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Comments [7] | Add your comment

This is almost the exact recipe I have used for years. Some time ago I began to substitute anchovy paste because I found that the fillets didn't always disolve easily in the olive oil. This does away with the chance that pieces of anchovy will be left in the finished sauce.

Posted: June 15, 2011 21:38 by geoffrice
Pasta with Green Puttanesca

Serves 4-6

Kosher salt, to taste

1 pound spaghettini or spaghetti

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

10 anchovy fillets

1/4 cup drained capers

1 cup pitted and sliced green Cerignola or Picholine olives

10 fat green garlic cloves, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick (or use 8 regular garlic cloves)

1/3 cup chopped scallions including greens

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

12 cups baby spinach leaves (11 ounces)

1/2 cup torn basil leaves

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is not quite al dente, 5 to 8 minutes. Reserve a cup of cooking water, then drain the pasta.

2. While the pasta is cooking, warm 1/4 cup of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the anchovies and capers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the capers start to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup oil, olives, garlic, scallions and red pepper flakes; increase heat to high if using green garlic (leave it at medium high for regular garlic) and cook until garlic is golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pasta and toss for 1 minute. Add a splash of pasta cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Season with salt, if necessary. Toss in the basil leaves.

-- Melissa Clark, New York

Posted: June 15, 2011 21:15 by hodala
I like to add an entire can of flat anchovies, oil and all. Also, I do not rinse the capers, more flavorful. I like to simmer my sauce for about 20-30 mins. This is a great recipe...so delicious! Yum!
Posted: March 24, 2011 10:30 by ziastars
very easy and tasty and delicious.
Posted: March 16, 2009 10:53 by alia
This is the best puttanesca recipe I have tired, dissolving the anchovies in the oil is crucial and really helps to layer the flavors-- delicious!!
Posted: February 08, 2009 23:01 by savirgil
Recipes like this make me look like I know what I'm doing in the kitchen. A big hit with my fiance's big Italian family.
Posted: November 14, 2008 10:03 by KendraKennedy
Very easy and great result!
Posted: October 23, 2008 03:18 by alegher