Spaghetti alla Puttanesca with Fresh Tomatoes

A portion of spaghetti puttanesca with a fork twirling the spaghetti.

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Spaghetti alla Puttanesca with Fresh Tomatoes

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.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 700kcal

Author: Daniela Apostol

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)

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