Spaghetti alla puttanesca

Spaghetti alla puttanesca is a classic Italian dish full of flavor and color. Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

• 400 g of spaghetti
• 4 anchovy fillets in oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 300 g of peeled tomatoes
• 100 g of black olives (Taggiasca olives are better)
• 2 tablespoons of salted capers
• 1 chili pepper (optional)
• Chopped parsley (for garnish)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt

Preparation

1. Start by boiling the water for the pasta in a large pot. Salt the water when it starts to boil and cook the spaghetti according to the cooking time indicated on the package.
2. In the meantime, in a large frying pan, sauté the chopped anchovy fillets and the peeled and crushed garlic cloves in a bit of extra-virgin olive oil. If you like spicy food, you can also add a chopped chili pepper.
3. Once the anchovies have melted, add the previously crushed peeled tomatoes, pitted olives sliced into rings, and the desalted and rinsed capers. Cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat until the sauce has slightly reduced.
4. While the pasta is cooking, make sure the sauce is seasoning well. Adjust salt if necessary and stir occasionally.
5. Drain the spaghetti al dente and transfer them to the pan with the sauce. Toss them for a minute to flavor them well.
6. Serve the hot spaghetti alla puttanesca immediately, garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Curiosity

The puttanesca takes its name from prostitutes, as it is said that this dish was cooked by night-time women for its simplicity and speed of preparation, as well as for its strong and bold flavor that reflects the vibrant essence of the Neapolitan culture from which it originates.