Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Recipe By: @hotplate_harry
🍅 Fun Fact: Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is famous for its colorful name and even more colorful flavors. Its origins are debated, but the dish became a Southern Italian favorite by transforming simple pantry staples into something spectacular.
🎥 WATCH The Video
🛒 Ingredients
5 1/2 oz spaghetti
1 can (about 14 oz) chopped tomatoes
Scant 1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
3–4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
5 oz black olives, sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red chili, finely chopped
Approximately 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Reserved pasta cooking water, as needed
🔥 Step By Step
1️⃣ Build That Flavor Foundation
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced black olives, chopped chili, garlic, capers, and anchovies. Sauté for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens and the anchovies begin melting into the oil. This is where all that incredible flavor starts!
2️⃣ A Little White Wine Magic
Pour the dry white wine directly into the skillet, stirring to lift all those flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan. Let everything simmer for about 5 minutes, allowing the wine to reduce and the flavors to concentrate.
3️⃣ Get That Spaghetti Going
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until just shy of al dente. We're finishing the pasta directly in the sauce, so don't overcook it. Before draining, reserve a generous cup of that precious pasta water.
4️⃣ Let The Tomatoes Do Their Thing
Add the chopped tomatoes to the skillet and stir everything together. Season lightly with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, remembering that the olives, anchovies, and capers are already bringing plenty of saltiness. Let the sauce gently simmer for approximately 10 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and the sauce becomes rich and beautifully concentrated.
5️⃣ Bring It All Together
Transfer the spaghetti directly into the skillet with the sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water and toss vigorously over medium-low heat until the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce coats every strand. Add additional pasta water as needed to create a glossy, silky finish.
6️⃣ Finish Like An Italian Chef
Twirl the spaghetti into warm bowls and finish with finely grated Parmesan, a generous sprinkle of fresh parsley, and one final drizzle of excellent extra virgin olive oil. Buon appetito!
🍷 THEBACKLABEL CHEF'S NOTE
The secret ingredient? Those anchovies.
Before you even think about leaving them out, hear us out.
When anchovies hit warm olive oil, they practically melt away, creating an incredible depth of savory, umami-rich flavor without making the dish taste particularly fishy.
And here's another little restaurant trick: Finish cooking your spaghetti in the sauce.
That final minute of tossing with starchy pasta water helps the sauce cling to every strand, turning a simple tomato pasta into something wonderfully glossy and cohesive.
👨🍳 THE WEEKNIGHT SHORTCUT
The beauty of Puttanesca is that it practically is the shortcut.
Keep good-quality canned tomatoes, olives, capers, anchovies, and dried spaghetti stocked in your pantry, and you're never more than half an hour away from an incredible Italian dinner.
No complicated prep. No expensive ingredients. Just bold flavors and a little technique.
That's how you cook like a chef on a Thursday night. 🍝
