Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Spaghetti alla puttanesca melts anchovy fillets into olive oil with sliced garlic over low heat, creating a deeply savory base before any tomato is added. Hand-crushed whole tomatoes, halved black olives, capers, and red pepper flakes go in next and simmer for eight minutes, during which the sauce reduces and the briny, salty, and spicy elements fuse into a bold, cohesive flavor. The anchovies dissolve completely, leaving no trace of fish but contributing an intense umami backbone. Because capers and anchovies are already heavily salted, seasoning is adjusted only at the very end by taste. The spaghetti is pulled one minute short of al dente and finished in the sauce pan with a splash of pasta water, which allows the starch to bind the sauce tightly to each strand.
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Instructions
- 1
Slice garlic, halve olives, and crush tomatoes roughly by hand.
- 2
Boil spaghetti in salted water until 1 minute before al dente.
- 3
Heat olive oil and cook garlic with anchovies over low heat until anchovies melt.
- 4
Add tomatoes, olives, capers, and chili flakes, then simmer for 8 minutes over medium heat.
- 5
Add pasta and 80 ml pasta water, then toss over high heat for 1-2 minutes.
- 6
Turn off heat, fold in chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
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