Spaghetti puttanesca
Spaghetti puttanesca is a tomato-based pasta dish with olives, capers and anchovies. Finely chopped anchovies melt into olive oil to build a savoury base, while the olives and capers remain in distinct pieces.
How to make it
Prepared 0 of 6 steps
Prepare the salty ingredients
Rinse and dry the capers. Halve the olives, finely chop the anchovies. Slice the garlic paper-thin, and mince the parsley. Crush the tomatoes with their juice into small pieces.
Cook the anchovies
In a wide pan, gently heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and chili flakes, then the anchovies. Cook for 1-2 minutes, mashing the fish with a spatula. The garlic should give off an aroma but remain light in color, while the anchovies should almost melt.
Cook the tomato sauce
Add the tomatoes and simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes at a gentle boil. Stir frequently from the edges to the center: the sauce should thicken slightly but not scorch around the pan's edge.
Add olives and capers
Stir in the prepared olives and capers, heat for another 3 minutes. Do not salt the sauce automatically: the anchovies and canned ingredients already provide enough saltiness. Maintain a gentle simmer while cooking the pasta.
Cook and combine the pasta
Boil 3000 ml of water with the specified salt. Cook the spaghetti until al dente, then reserve about 200 ml of cooking water. Transfer the pasta to the sauce and add a little reserved water, stirring over medium heat for 1 minute.
Finish with parsley
Turn off the heat and stir in most of the parsley. Serve immediately, dividing the remaining herbs among the plates. Cheese is not used in this version: the flavor profile relies on anchovies, olives, and capers.
Little hint
The anchovies work as a seasoning here and almost melt at the beginning of cooking. Do not add them in large cold chunks towards the end: this would result in an uneven taste with overly salty spots.
Frequently asked questions
What should I watch out for when cooking?
The anchovies work as a seasoning here and almost melt at the beginning of cooking. Do not add them in large cold chunks towards the end: this would result in an uneven taste with overly salty spots.
How should I prepare the ingredients?
Rinse and dry the capers. Halve the olives, finely chop the anchovies. Slice the garlic paper-thin, and mince the parsley. Crush the tomatoes with their juice into small pieces.
