Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is a first course whose origin is disputed between Roman and Campanian cuisine.
In Naples, we more simply call them “spaghetti aulive e chiapparielli” because the tomato sauce with which the pasta (almost always long) is seasoned is flavored with Gaeta olives and capers, while in the Roman version there is the addition of salted anchovies for an even stronger taste.
Whether it’s the Neapolitan or Roman version, this dish is truly delicious and very quick to make as the sauce cooks just as long as the pasta.
You can prepare them with canned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, or, as I often do, with piennolo tomatoes (Mount Vesuvius tomatoes). Garlic, chili pepper, and fresh parsley are the co-stars of a dish that’s finger-licking good.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then…let’s cook and eat!!
See also
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 11 oz spaghetti
- 28 oz canned tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 fresh chili pepper
- 2 anchovies in oil (optional)
- 3.5 oz Gaeta olives (pitted)
- 2 tablespoons salted capers (to be desalinated)
- 1 bunch parsley
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- as needed salt
Tools
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Pot
Steps
To prepare the spaghetti alla puttanesca, first, bring salted water to a boil in a tall pot. In the meantime, focus on preparing the sauce.
In a pan, heat the oil with a clove of garlic, a fresh chili pepper cut into pieces, and the parsley stems together with the pitted olives, desalinated capers, and optionally the anchovies.
Let everything sauté for a couple of minutes, just enough for the ingredients to release their flavors, then add the canned tomatoes, season lightly with salt, and let it simmer until the sauce thickens.
When the water reaches a boil, add the spaghetti and cook until about two minutes shy of the package instructions.
When the pasta has reached the specified cooking time, drain it, saving a cup of the cooking water, and then transfer it to the pan with the sauce. Cook everything together for the remaining time needed to finish cooking the pasta, adding a bit of the cooking water if necessary. If you’re comfortable, toss the spaghetti in the pan with the sauce for an even creamier result.
Finish the preparation with finely chopped fresh parsley.
Serve the spaghetti alla puttanesca with a good glass of red wine 😉.
