A bold and bright Spaghetti alla Puttanesca made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, capers, anchovies, bird's eye chilli, black and pimento-stuffed olives, my take on the classic Italian pasta dish that is fiery and delicious, and ready in 15 minutes. Serve it with plenty of grated parmesan for a quick weeknight dinner full of Mediterranean flavours.
Spaghetti alla puttanesca is a popular Italian pasta dish known for its spicy, punchy combination of canned tomatoes, capers, anchovies, olives and chilli flakes, but my version takes it in a fresher direction.
I used fresh and juicy tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes for a lighter, sweeter finish rather than a heavier, tomato-based dish. While I do use canned tomatoes often in my dishes, I still rely heavily on fresh ones whenever I have the chance.
I find canned tomatoes more acidic, and to balance that out, I always have to add a good pinch of sugar, but with fresh tomatoes that is not an issue anymore. They add a natural sweetness that gives any dish a refreshing touch that is hard to beat.
I absolutely love simple pasta dishes that are light and nourishing, and don't have a single drop of tomato sauce from a jar. It's so simple to make your own sauce, that I cannot comprehend doing it any differently.
Dishes like 'nduja pasta, tomato basil pasta, spinach and tomato pasta or prawn and spinach pasta all reply on a simple homemade sauce made with fresh tomatoes. They are light and delicious, and as close to the Italian cuisine as can be.
This dish is perfect for a romantic dinner for two, it's posh enough to be served at special occasions or just when you feel like a restaurant-style dinner.
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
- fresh tomatoes - I used tomatoes on the vine, but you can use anything else that you have available. Just make sure they are ripe and juicy, so they can release their sweetness and add flavour to the pasta
- olives - while Kalamata olives are more popular, and I do love them too, for this dish I used regular pitted black olives and pimento-stuffed green olives. You can certainly use anything else that you have available
- anchovies - tinned anchovies are easily-available in most shops, and don't worry, the dish won't taste fishy, they melt completely and just give a nice sharp touch
- capers - add a salty touch to the dish, don't use too many though, as they can be overpowering
- garlic - do dish without fresh garlic, so do use as much as you like (I like quite a lot!)
- bird's eye chilli - traditionally this dish is made with dried chilli flakes, but I think the addition of fresh chilli is quite a nice one
- salt & pepper - go easy on the salt, as the capers and anchovies add saltiness too
- olive oil - without sounding like a clique, do use the best quality you can afford, it makes the best sauce
- parmesan - as with garlic, the more, the better
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- heat up the oil in a large pan, add the peeled and chopped garlic and chilies and fry briefly to release their flavour
- add the anchovies and allow them to melt, stirring well
- add the chopped tomatoes, capers and olives and mix
- place a lid on the pan and leave everything to simmer for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes are mushy
- season with salt and pepper
- add 2 tablespoons of the pasta water and mix
- toss in the cooked spaghetti and mix well to coat
- garnish with grated parmesan, extra ground pepper and chopped parsley
Expert tips
Let the anchovies melt into the oil, they should melt almost completely giving the dish a savoury base that is absolutely delicious. The pasta won't have a strong dish taste, just a lovely umami touch.
Use ripe and juicy tomatoes, as they will make all the difference. Since the dish doesn't rely on canned tomatoes, it can be bland if the tomatoes aren't sweet enough.
Bird's eye chillies can vary greatly in heat, so start with less, and add more if you can handle. Or you can go for a combo fresh chillies and chilli flakes.
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Spaghetti alla Puttanesca with Fresh Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 180 g spaghetti (6 oz)
- 6 tomatoes on the vine
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 3 anchovies
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 bird's eye chillies
- 50 g chopped olives (¼ cup, I used a mix of pitted black olives and pimento-stuffed green olives)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 50 g grated parmesan (½ cup)
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Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, heat up the olive oil in a large pan, add the peeled and chopped garlic and chillies and fry for 10-15 seconds to release their flavour.
- Add the anchovies and use a wooden spoon to stir well until the anchovies melt.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, capers and olives and mix.
- Place a lid on the pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes are mushy.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pasta water and drain the rest.
- Add the cooked pasta together with the reserved water and toss well to coat the pasta in sauce.
- Garnish with chopped parsley, extra ground pepper and plenty of parmesan.
Video
Notes
- Let the anchovies melt into the oil, they should melt almost completely giving the dish a savoury base that is absolutely delicious. The pasta won't have a strong dish taste, just a lovely umami touch.
- Use ripe and juicy tomatoes, as they will make all the difference. Since the dish doesn't rely on canned tomatoes, it can be bland if the tomatoes aren't sweet enough.
- Bird's eye chillies can vary greatly in heat, so start with less, and add more if you can handle. Or you can go for a combo fresh chillies and chilli flakes.
Nutrition
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