Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is a traditional Neapolitan pasta built from pantry essentials—olives, capers, anchovies and tomato—that delivers deep savoury flavour without added salt, thanks to the umami contribution of sautéed anchovies.
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Prepare: Bring a large pot of water to the boil, ready for the pasta. Warm serving bowls (I microwave 1 minute).
Cook garlic: Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook for 15 seconds until it starts turning golden.
Cook anchovies: Add anchovies, capers, olives and chilli flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
Tomato: Add tomato, then add the 1/2 cup of water into the can. Swirl around to rinse then pour into the skillet.
Simmer: Add oregano, salt and pepper. Stir, bring to simmer, then turn down to low and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until the tomato has broken down and created a sauce. Turn off stove when ready if not timed with cooked pasta.
Cook pasta: Meanwhile, add 2 teaspoons salt into the pot of water. Then add pasta and cook per packet directions.
Reserve pasta water (Note 5): Just before draining, scoop out a mugful of pasta cooking water and set aside. Then drain pasta in a colander.
Toss pasta: Immediately add pasta into sauce. Add 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water reserved from previous step (Note 5) then use 2 wooden spoons to toss the pasta, still on a low stove, for 1 minute or until the sauce is no longer in the skillet but rather clinging to the pasta strands (but still slick and slippery). If the pasta gets too dry, add more pasta cooking water and toss.
Serve: Immediately transfer into warmed bowls. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately!
Store the cooled sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently over medium-low heat, then toss with freshly cooked hot pasta and pasta water.
Yes. Sautéing the anchovies cooks out the fishy flavour and they dissolve into the sauce, leaving pure savoury depth you cannot replicate with salt alone.
The olives, capers and anchovies are already salty. Tasting as you go prevents over-salting; you can always add more.
Yes. The sauce keeps refrigerated up to 3 days. Reheat gently on low heat before tossing with fresh hot pasta.
Add the optional 1/4 tsp sugar and stir. Taste again—tomato quality varies, so adjust to your preference.
Simmer for 10 minutes or until the tomato has broken down into a cohesive sauce. It should cling to the pasta when tossed, not pool separately.
