How to Make PASTA ALLA PUTTANESCA | Authentic Italian Recipe

anchovies

🥗Healthier: capers

💰Cheaper: olives

Capers provide a similar briny flavor without the fish.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free alternative that adds umami.

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Salt it generously.

Crush the garlic clove while keeping the skin on. Add it and the olive oil into a skillet over medium/high temperature until the garlic begins to bubble.

Remove the garlic, lower the heat, and add the anchovies. Allow the anchovies to fry for 1 minute, stirring occasionally, then add the capers and olives.

Sauté for about 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes. If your tomatoes are very fresh and juicy, you may not have to add any water at all into the pan. Otherwise, add a small ladle of the pasta water into the sauce.

Bring to a simmer, add a pinch of black pepper and cook, covered, until the tomatoes have softened and released their juices—about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the pasta into the boiling water. Cook as directed, but for about 2 minutes less than the recommended 'al dente' cook time.

If the sauce finishes before the pasta is cooked, simply add a little more water into the pan so that it can continue simmering without burning.

Taste the sauce and add salt to taste, if necessary (the anchovies and capers are already quite salty, so you may not need any).

When the pasta is ready, use tongs to transfer it into the sauce, along with 1 to 2 ladlefuls of pasta water.

Turn up the heat, bring to a simmer, and stir all together for about 2 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente to your taste.

Serve immediately, topped with a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Cooking Techniques

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Dietary

Allergens