Classic Pasta Puttanesca

Name: Pasta Putenesca
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons olive oil; 7 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled; 5 anchovy fillets or about 3 Tablespoons anchovy paste; 1 28-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes; 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata Olives; 3 tablespoons capers; 1 pound linguine or other long pasta; Chopped Basil leaves about 6 or 7 leaves; black pepper; red pepper flakes

April 21, 2024

Looking for a flavorful and easy pasta dish to impress your friends and family? Try making Pasta Puttanesca! This classic Italian dish is packed with bold flavors and is sure to become a favorite in your recipe rotation.

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Pasta Putenesca

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

Mediterranean

Author:

Jamie Perez

Servings

6

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Incredibly delicious, easy to make classic pasta puttanesca! I still remember the first time my mom made this pasta for me. My job was to do the chopping and as I chopped I wondered what the heck is anchovy paste doing in this recipe. Oh how naive I was to question the amazing depth that anchovies give any dish really! I quickly learned that this dish is quick enough for a weeknight meal yet feels special, savory, and satisfying. Every bite is salty, tangy, and perfectly balanced — the kind of effortless dish that tastes like it came straight from a cozy trattoria. Perfect for nights when you want big flavor with minimal fuss. Annnnnd it tastes just as amazing the next day so double the recipe, because it's too good not to have leftovers!

Cook Mode

Ingredients

5 tablespoons olive oil
7 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
5 anchovy fillets or about 3 Tablespoons anchovy paste
1 28-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata Olives
3 tablespoons capers
1 pound linguine or other long pasta
Chopped Basil leaves about 6 or 7 leaves
black pepper
red pepper flakes

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and anchovies, and cook until the garlic is golden and the anchovies have melted into the oil (it will look like a gray paste)
2. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Season with black pepper. Simmer the sauce for about 20- 30 minutes, until it has thickened slightly.
3. Stir in the olives, capers. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
4. While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
5. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce, adding a little bit of the reserved cooking water if needed to loosen the sauce.
6. Serve the Pasta Puttanesca hot, garnished with chopped fresh basil.

Recipe Video

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Recipe Note

This pasta is really hard to mess up. Aaaand it only takes maybe 30 minutes at most to make! Play with more or less of a certain ingredient depending on your taste.

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