Pasta Puttanesca

[elleng]

PREP TIME
10 mins
COOK TIME
30 mins
TOTAL TIME
40 mins
SERVINGS
4 to 6 servings
Spaghetti is the traditional pasta for this recipe, but any kind of pasta will work.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 to 4 canned anchovies, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons small (non-pariel) capers
3/4 cup (95g) pitted olives (black or green), roughly chopped
1 pound spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat the pasta water:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of water). While the water is heating, start making the sauce.

Cook onions, anchovies, garlic:
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep sauté pan. When the oil is hot, cook the onions until they're soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, stir in the chopped anchovies along with some of the oil from the can.

Add the finely chopped garlic and cook another minute.

Make the sauce:
Mix in the tomato paste and cook it for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, chili pepper flakes, olives, and capers. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then lower the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer, 10 to 15 minutes.

Cook the spaghetti:
When the salted pasta water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, to al dente, cooked but still slightly firm. Before draining, save about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water to add back later, if needed.

Finish the sauce:
Stir the parsley into the pasta sauce. Add some pasta water into the sauce to thin it if it has become too thick.

What Does Puttanesca Mean?
It was only later that I learned the origins of this sauce. I'd made it for a female friend who was Italian, and she said, "Oh, harlot's sauce." I might have snickered. She explained that the legend of this sauce was that it easy to prepare for anyone who works when markets were closed — and ladies of the evening certainly fit that bill.

[claudette]

1. Sounds yummy

But, I NEVER add salt to the water to cook the pasta (or anything). Growing up my mother had high blood pressures and never ever added salt to anything she cooked. We all had to add it before eating it which I rarely did.

[yellowdogintexas]

5. I have made it too, except I do not include the anchovies because we hate them

There are no gray areas when it comes to anchovies; you either love them or hate them. We are on Team No Anchovies

[claudette]

6. Well

I join you on that team. No anchovies for me. 🤢

[EarnestPutz]

2. Thanks for posting this. I've made it before but your recipe looks good. I have.....

......a nice memory of explaining the meaning of the name to my Italian mother-in-law and her two cousins. They had just returned from lunch at "that nice little Italian place on Mayfield" and certainly knew what "puttan" meant. They all had just had the dish and thought it was hyterical.

[maspaha]

3. Thank you!

You have given me the proper name for what we’ve called ‘Hooker Pasta’ at our house for a nik-zillion years! I got a very similar recipe from a fellow soccer mom when she made it for a team pot luck. OMG the girls LOVE it and never knew they were eating anchovies (which they claim not to like)!

[elleng]

4. You're welcome!