Description
Pasta Puttanesca is a robust and flavorful Italian dish featuring a savory tomato sauce infused with anchovies, olives, capers, and red pepper flakes. This easy-to-make recipe comes together in about 40 minutes and combines the bold, briny flavors of the Mediterranean with tender al dente pasta for a satisfying meal perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 to 4 canned anchovies, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons small (non-pariel) capers
- 3/4 cup (95g) pitted olives (black or green), roughly chopped
- Salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Pasta
- 1 pound spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine
- Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Heat the pasta water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, adding about 1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of water. This ensures the pasta is properly seasoned while cooking.
- Cook the onions, anchovies, and garlic: In a large, deep sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add chopped anchovies with their oil and cook for another minute to melt them into the base. Then add chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Make the sauce: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to develop its flavor. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, olives, and capers. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let it gently simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend flavors.
- Cook the pasta: When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook following package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- Finish the sauce: Stir chopped fresh parsley into the simmered sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen it to your desired consistency.
- Combine and serve: Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Optionally drizzle with a little olive oil, then add a ladle of sauce and toss thoroughly to coat. Serve immediately in shallow bowls with extra sauce spooned on top.
Notes
- You can substitute the pasta type with spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine depending on your preference.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes to control the spice level of the dish.
- Reserving pasta water is important to adjust the sauce consistency for better coating.
- Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- This dish pairs well with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
