Puttanesca

August 14, 2024

Puttanesca - kvalifood.com

Puttanesca is a Neapolitan pasta sauce built on anchovies, olives, capers, and tomato. The anchovies dissolve into the oil to provide a savory backbone – the finished dish does not taste fishy. Traditionally served with spaghetti, no cheese.

Serves 4

Ingredients

350 g spaghetti
400 g canned whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano preferred)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
120 g pitted black olives (Gaeta, Taggiasca, or Kalamata), halved
2 tbsp capers, drained, rinsed
1 small dried chili (or 1/4 tsp chili flakes)
fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, for finishing
salt, only if needed after tasting

Directions

Crush the canned tomatoes by hand or roughly chop them. Reserve any juice from the can.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovies. Cook 1-2 minutes, pressing the anchovies with a spoon until they dissolve into the oil.
Add the olives, capers, and chili. Stir and cook 1 minute.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and any reserved juice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 12-15 minutes. The sauce should thicken but remain loose enough to coat pasta. Remove whole chili if desired.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in well-salted water until 2 minutes short of al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water.
Transfer the drained pasta to the sauce. Toss over medium heat for 2 minutes, adding pasta water as needed until the sauce clings to the strands.
Serve immediately with a thread of olive oil and scattered parsley. No cheese.

Notes

Anchovies are non-negotiable. They melt away completely and provide the savory backbone.
Taste before salting. Olives, capers, and anchovies carry enough salt for most palates.
Oil-cured or brine-cured Italian olives (Gaeta, Taggiasca) are ideal. Kalamata is a solid substitute. Avoid bland canned black olives.
Salted capers (rinsed well) have a more concentrated flavor than brined, but either works.
A pinch of sugar can balance acidic tomatoes, but only if needed.