Description
Pasta Puttanesca is a vibrant Italian dish featuring spaghetti tossed in a savory, tangy sauce made from anchovies, garlic, olives, capers, tomatoes, and red wine. This quick and flavorful meal combines bold Mediterranean ingredients to create a perfect balance of salty, briny, and slightly sweet flavors, ideal for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 (2oz) tin fillet anchovies + oil
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic OR 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup black olives, halved
- 1 cup green olives, halved
- 1 (3.5oz) jar capers, drained
- 28oz can kitchen ready tomatoes
- 1/2 cup red wine
Pasta
- 1 (16oz) box spaghetti
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a few dashes of salt and add the spaghetti. Cook the pasta until al dente, which should take about 8 minutes.
- Prepare the Sauce Base: While the water is heating, begin the sauce. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, drain the anchovy oil and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Heat the oil until shiny and hot. Roughly chop the anchovies, then add them along with minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the Olives and Tomatoes: Deglaze the skillet with the red wine, scraping to lift any flavorful browned bits from the bottom. Add black and green olives, drained capers, and canned tomatoes. Stir occasionally and let the sauce cook over medium-high heat for about 8 to 10 minutes until it thickens.
- Drain the Pasta: When the pasta is done, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta completely.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Return the drained pasta to the large pot and add the prepared sauce. Toss everything together thoroughly. Add reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to your preference. Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- If you prefer a spicier sauce, add red pepper flakes when cooking the garlic and anchovies.
- Saves the pasta water to adjust sauce consistency helps bind the sauce to the pasta better.
- Fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese make excellent garnishes but are optional.
- Use good-quality canned tomatoes for the best flavor.
- If you like, substitute spaghetti with other long pasta such as linguine or bucatini.
