Spaghetti in a spicy tomato sauce full of black olives, capers and melted anchovies, which give the sauce a deep, salty umami without themselves tasting of fish. A quick, intense classic from Naples, full of whatever happened to be in the store cupboard.
Spaghetti alla puttanesca
Region: Campania
Spaghetti alla puttanesca
Region: Campania
Method
01
Base
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, anchovies and chilli flakes and fry for approx. 1–2 minutes, stirring the anchovies until they dissolve in the oil.
02
Sauce
Add the tomatoes and leave to reduce gently for 12–15 minutes to a thick sauce. Stir in the olives and capers and warm through for another 3–5 minutes.
03
Cook the pasta
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water until al dente (careful with extra salt; the anchovies, olives and capers are already salty). Keep a cup of the cooking water.
04
Combine
Drain the pasta and toss it through the sauce, with a splash of cooking water to bind.
05
Serve
Finish with parsley and serve immediately. In Italy, cheese is traditionally not used with a fish-based sauce.
Tips & notes
Really let the anchovies melt in the hot oil before adding the tomatoes; that is the key to the umami depth of this dish without anyone ever explicitly tasting 'fish'. Always taste before adding extra salt; the anchovies, olives and capers are each already quite salty. Best made and eaten on the same day; keep leftovers chilled for a maximum of 1 day.
Variations
- Add tinned tuna for a heartier, fuller version.
- Increase the chilli flakes for a spicier 'puttanesca piccante'.
Contains:
Gluten
Fish
| Calories | 527 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 30 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Fat | 28 g |
| Fibre | 5 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
