Go Back
–+ servings
Print
Spaghetti coated in tomato sauce with olives and capers in a white pasta bowl.

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca Recipe

Briny olives and capers give Spaghetti alla Puttanesca its unmistakable flavour, ideal for a relaxed date night and done in 20 minutes.

Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Manuela Zangara

Ingredients

  • 370 g – 13 oz spaghetti
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 –6 anchovy fillets
  • 1 garlic clove – chopped
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes – to taste
  • 500 g – 1 lb tomatoes – fresh or tinned, peeled and diced
  • 100 g – ½ cup black olives – sliced
  • 1 tbsp capers – rinsed
  • 2 tbsp parsley – chopped
  • salt – to taste

Instructions

  1. Put the extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, chilli flakes, and anchovies in a pan. Sauté over medium heat for a couple of minutes, breaking up the anchovies with a wooden spoon until they dissolve. Make sure the garlic doesn’t burn, or the sauce will become bitter.

  2. As soon as the anchovies have dissolved, add the tomatoes, black olives, and capers.

    Note: If using fresh tomatoes, add a splash of water if needed to help the sauce cook properly.

  3. Cook for 10–15 minutes over low heat, then turn off the heat.

  4. In the meantime, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain it 1 minute before fully cooked, as it will finish cooking with the puttanesca sauce.

  5. Add the drained pasta to the frying pan with the sauce. Add the chopped parsley and toss over low heat for 1–2 minutes.
  6. Serve immediately and eat hot.