Fri, 13 October 2023
Ingredients:
400g of spaghetti
500g of tomato passata
100g of pitted black olives, chopped
50g of capers, rinsed and drained
4-5 anchovy fillets, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed (keep half a clove aside for the end)
½ tsp chili flakes (or more if you like it hot!)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions:
Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once it's boiling, add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until it's al dente. This usually takes about 8-10 minutes. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the spaghetti and set it aside.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add the crushed garlic and anchovy fillets to the pan. Cook for a minute or two, breaking down the anchovies with the back of a wooden spoon until they dissolve into the oil.
Add the chili, olives, and capers to the pan. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour in the tomato passata and bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking water to reach your desired consistency.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with black pepper. Add the last bit of crushed garlic and cook for a minute for an extra hit of garlic. You probably won't need to add salt due to the saltiness of the olives and anchovies.
Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan with a splash of pasta water, tossing it in the sauce until it's well coated.
Serve the Spaghetti alla Puttanesca hot, garnished with fresh parsley and grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, if desired.
