Pasta Puttanesca

Method

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1. Put the olive oil, anchovies and sliced garlic in a cold pan and set it over low heat.

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2. Warm gently for 4 to 5 minutes, pressing the anchovies with a wooden spoon until they dissolve completely into the oil. Do not let the garlic colour.

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3. Add the chilli flakes and cook 30 seconds.

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4. Add the tomatoes, olives and capers, raise the heat, and simmer 12 to 15 minutes until thick and glossy.

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5. Meanwhile boil the pasta in well-salted water until 1 minute short of al dente.

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6. Reserve a mug of pasta water and drain.

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7. Add the pasta to the sauce with a splash of the water and toss hard over medium heat for 90 seconds until it finishes cooking and the sauce clings.

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8. Take off the heat, fold through the parsley and plenty of black pepper.

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9. Taste before adding any salt — it almost certainly needs none. Serve without cheese.

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Chef’s Tips

• Start the anchovies in cold oil. Dropped into a hot pan they seize and stay in lumps.
• No Parmesan. Cheese on a puttanesca is a genuine offence in Naples and it does not need it.
• Do not salt the sauce until you have tasted it at the end.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• A rough southern Italian red
• Bread for the plate
• A simple green salad

Storage & Reheating

The sauce keeps 4 days refrigerated and freezes 2 months. Cook pasta fresh.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.