top of page

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Prep Time:

5 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Serves:

4

This household absolutely loves olives - so this dish originally created in the Naples region of Italy is perfect! Feel free to substitute with your olives of choice; kalamata olives seem to impart more flavor but you can also use either pitted whole green or black olives.

5 minutes

Ingredients


  • 2 (8-oz) packages of spaghetti

  • 6 anchovy fillets

  • ¼ onion, finely diced

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced (4 t)

  • 1 C kalamata olives, pitted

  • 3 T extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 T capers

  • ½ C pasta water

  • 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes (or 12 roma tomatoes parboiled, peeled, and hand smashed)

  • ¼ t red chili flakes

  • ½ t dried oregano

  • ½ t salt

  • ¼ t freshly ground black pepper

  • ¼ C fresh basil, roughly chopped


Preparation

(NOTE: This recipe only calls for 6 anchovy fillets but there are between 10 - 12 fillets in a standard 2-oz can...use the others to make a homemade caesar salad dressing and serve this dish with a caesar salad!)

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain water but reserve at least ½ C of the pasta water for later.

  2. In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil and add garlic and onion; cook until it begins turning fragrant - about 30 seconds.

  3. Next, add anchovies, capers, olives, and red pepper flakes. Cook for an additional one minute.

  4. Add crushed tomatoes, pasta water, salt, pepper, and oregano. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until sauce has slightly thickened.

  5. Pour sauce over spaghetti, drizzle a little extra olive oil and top with fresh basil.

bottom of page