Description
Pasta Puttanesca is a vibrant, flavorful Italian dish featuring a savory sauce made from anchovies, olives, capers, tomatoes, and a touch of heat from red pepper flakes. This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings of perfectly cooked spaghetti or your choice of linguine or fettuccine tossed in the tangy, umami-rich sauce, finished with fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 to 4 canned anchovies, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons small (non-pariel) capers
- 3/4 cup (95g) pitted olives (black or green), roughly chopped
- Salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Pasta
- 1 pound spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine
Finishing
- Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta Water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil with about 1 tablespoon of salt per 2 quarts of water. This ensures the pasta is properly seasoned while cooking.
- Prepare the Sauce Base: Heat olive oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they become soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add Anchovies and Garlic: Incorporate the chopped anchovies along with their oil into the pan and cook for one minute, then add chopped garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, developing a rich umami base.
- Mix in Tomato Paste and Tomatoes: Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to deepen flavor. Add crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, olives, and capers. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let it gently simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to meld flavors.
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Once the water boils, add your choice of pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining to adjust the sauce consistency if needed.
- Finish the Sauce: Stir chopped fresh parsley into the sauce. If it becomes too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce to your preferred consistency.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Drain pasta and transfer it to a large bowl. Drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, then add a ladle of the puttanesca sauce and toss thoroughly to coat.
- Serve: Serve the pasta in shallow bowls with additional sauce spooned on top for extra flavor and finish with a final drizzle of olive oil if desired.
Notes
- Anchovies dissolve into the sauce, providing depth and umami without a strong fishy taste—use as many as you prefer.
- Capers and olives bring briny flavors; small non-pariel capers are ideal but you can adjust quantities based on taste.
- Adjust red pepper flakes for desired heat level.
- Reserve pasta water is crucial for adjusting sauce consistency and helps the sauce cling perfectly to the pasta.
- Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for finishing to enhance flavor.
- This dish is best served immediately but can be reheated gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or reserved pasta water.
