Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

It seems you aren’t able to come across a recipe for puttanesca on the internet without someone mentioning sex workers in Naples. I’m not a person who believes you can pinpoint much about history in a way that reflects anything more than the knowledge and bias of the person holding the pen so, while it may have something to do with red light district dinner breaks, I much prefer the explanation that Jeremy Parzen suggests which is more along the lines of “puttanata qualsiasi” translating to “any bull**it”.

It didn’t even really exist until the 1950s so stories of it being a sauce whipped up by an eighteenth century meretrix between appointments seems like nothing but a fantasy. Which is why I’m much more inclined to believe it has been from the beginning what it remains today: a sauce made from ingredients you can pull from your pantry pretty haphazardly and end up with a fast dinner that is satisfying and salty as the sea.

The important part of that paragraph is “salty as the sea”. To me, that’s also the key factor in what makes it so satisfying. This version is actually a little fancier than it even needs to be because I had shallots to use up (not traditional) and an actual chili (you would normally use chili flakes). I also add tomato paste because I think it adds a nice depth to the sauce but none of that is necessary to still have a great version of it. In the most basic form, it is layered salt with capers, olives, anchovies and chili flakes. Anything you add over and above that is gilding the proverbial lily.

Now, I try to not have favorites in my kitchen so that I’m not disappointed in results (see my earlier post about keeping your expectations low) but I will say that if you are able to get ahold of Crespo Dry Black Olives specifically they are great. Some black olives can have an offputting metallic tang to them but these don’t. They are so smooth and perfectly balanced.

Although even to say that is missing the point of puttanesca which should be able to be made from just about any old thing in your pantry as long as it is satisfying, salty and a little bit hot. Which come to think of it….oh, never mind.

Making

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4 salty servings

Ingredients

250g dry spaghetti

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 shallots, sliced thinly

2 Tbsp capers in brine, chopped roughly

1 red chili or chili flakes to taste

1/2 jar anchovies, chopped

250g pitted black olives, roughly chopped

1 head of garlic, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp dried oregano

2 Tbsp tomato paste

400g can chopped tomatoes

Ground black pepper to taste

25g fresh parsley or basil, roughly chopped

Optional

Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

Put a large pot of water on to boil, put in a big pinch of salt and your dry SPAGHETTI. The sauce will come together in about the time it takes for the pasta to cook.

I find it is easiest if you mise everything at the beginning because once the heat is on the pan, it all moves very quickly. So start by chopping everything up.

Put a large skillet on medium high heat and add the OLIVE OIL. When it has warmed up, add the SHALLOTS, CAPERS and CHILI. Let it cook for a couple of minutes to soften everything a bit.

Add the ANCHOVIES, OLIVES and GARLIC. Cook for another two minutes while stirring. Sprinkle the OREGANO over the top and stir through.

Squeeze in your TOMATO PASTE and stir to distribute and then pour in your can of TOMATOES. Stir together and let it all heat through. Give it a taste. It will not need salt but add GROUND BLACK PEPPER to taste.

If you like your sauce a little more on the saucy side, reserve a cup of water from the boiling pasta before you drain it and pour it in to loosen everything. Just before you’re ready to put the sauce on the pasta, stir through your PARSLEY or BASIL.

If you’d like to add even more salt you can serve with a grating of PARMESAN cheese.

Tags:Easy Good for a group