Spaghetti alla puttanesca
This classic pasta dish represents the best of the best of Italian cuisine. Spaghetti alla puttanesca is made from cupboard essentials, and makes a flavourful tomato based pasta sauce.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: anchovies, capers, olive oil, olives, pasta
Servings: 2
Calories: 435kcal
Cost: Cheap
- 50 g olives
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 1 (400 g) tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 400 g cooked spaghetti* (about 200 g dry spaghetti, boiled in water)
Start by finely chopping the anchovies and garlic, as well as slicing the olives.
Warm the olive oil in a small pot on medium to high heat, then add the capers, anchovies and garlic. Allow these to saute for a minute.
Then, add the diced tomatoes, olives and sugar to the pot. Bring this to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and leave it to cook for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced and the sauce is thick.
Meanwhile, boil spaghetti following the package instructions. Drain off the water. Combine the pasta and sauce before adding to a pasta bowl to serve.
*or as much spaghetti as you like for 2 servings.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can freeze spaghetti alla puttanesca up to 3 months. Thaw the pasta dish in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in a saucepan or microwave before serving.
Tips and substitutions
- Not a fan of anchovies? – No problem, you can omit the anchovies. As they give the sauce a salty flavour, I recommend adding some salt in their place.
- The spaghetti should be cooked al dente. This means that we cook it until it’s soft, but still has a bit of bite in it. The last thing we want is mushy pasta!
- If you don’t have canned chopped tomatoes available, you can use tomato passata instead.
- Allowing the sauce to cook for a while is key. This allows the flavours to develop, and is the difference between a bland sauce and total pasta deliciousness.
- Make this dish vegan by leaving out the anchovies.
- The sugar is added to combat the tang from the diced tomatoes. If your tomatoes are particularly acidic, you might want to add more sugar to taste.
Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 508mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 98IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 3mg