The Best Spaghetti Puttanesca Recipe
A punchy, and delicious Neapolitan pasta sauce made with tinned tomatoes, anchovies, capers, Kalamata olives and Calabrian chilli. On the table in under 20 minutes. Serves 2.
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Ingredients
- 200 grams spaghetti
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic crushed or finely chopped
- 6 to 8 anchovy fillets
- 1 x 400 grams tin good quality imported Italian chopped tomatoes
- 2 to 3 Tbsp baby capers or regular capers roughly chopped
- 60 grams Kalamata olives pitted weight, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp Calabrian chilli paste or ½ tsp dried chilli flakes, or 1 fresh red chilli finely chopped
- A small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped (half for the sauce, half to garnish)
- A few small fresh basil leaves to finish
- Freshly grated Parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water with plenty of salt according to the packet instructions. Reserve a cup of the cooking water before draining.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide, rimmed frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovies and cook briefly, stirring, until the garlic is just turning golden and the anchovies have broken down into the oil.
- Add the tinned tomatoes and cook briefly, then add the capers and olives. Bring to a bubble, then stir through half the parsley and the Calabrian chilli paste.
- About four minutes before the pasta is ready, scoop it directly into the sauce using tongs or a pasta spoon, bringing some of the starchy cooking water with it. Toss well, adding more cooking water a splash at a time as needed. Continue cooking for a few minutes until the pasta is done to your liking.
- Scatter over the remaining parsley and serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan and basil lea
Notes
Storage: The sauce keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cook fresh pasta to serve.
Reheating: Reheat the sauce gently in a pan with a splash of water. Cook fresh pasta, then finish in the reheated sauce as described above.
Freezing: The sauce freezes well for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Servings: 2