Pasta Puttanesca - Super Delicious Easy Weeknight Pasta

anchovies

🥗Healthier: n/a

💰Cheaper: canned tuna

Canned tuna provides a similar umami flavor at a lower cost.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is a dairy-free alternative with a cheesy flavor.

Prepare ingredients: mash 5 anchovy filets and slice 6 cloves of garlic thinly.

Remove pits from 1 heaping cup of Sicilian green olives and 1 cup of oil cured Moroccan olives.

Heat a high-walled 4-quart pan over medium heat (4 out of 10).

Add extra virgin olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.

Add the mashed anchovies and sliced garlic to the pan, cooking for about 2 minutes until the garlic is golden.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper to the oil and let it permeate for a moment.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to reduce metallic taste.

Add 1 can (28 oz) of hand-crushed plum tomatoes to the pan and bring to a simmer.

Add the prepared olives and 2 tablespoons of capers to the sauce, stirring to combine.

Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes total.

While the sauce simmers, bring a separate pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt.

Cook 1 pound of penne pasta for 1 minute less than al dente, stirring for the first 30 seconds to prevent sticking.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it directly to the sauce, mixing to combine.

If the sauce is too thick, save some pasta water to adjust the consistency.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens