Feb 2, 2023

Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca

Fast to prepare and incredibly aromatic spaghetti alla puttanesca is the perfect dinner for any busy night.

A spicy, and strongly aromatic pasta with plump olives, briny capers, and anchovies blended into a detectibly garlicy tomato sauce. A perfect dinner for any busy household as it's ready in minutes.

There are a lot of theories for the origin of this pasta dish, but wherever it came from it has become much loved worldwide. One of the interesting things about this sauce, it is prepared completely from pantry staples with no fresh ingredients (including the garlic, which can be pre-minced and jarred). So, the ingredients for this can be bought when on sale and stored so they are on hand any time.

This is one of the easiest spaghetti dishes to pull together, and is entirely vegan. For gluten-free folks, use your favourite gluten-free pasta.

Ingredients

(Makes 6 servings)

12oz uncooked spaghetti, prepared (gluten-free if needed)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons garlic, minced (about 6 large cloves if using fresh)
4 anchovies
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups unsalted vegetable stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can (796g) whole tomatoes, packed in purée
12 kalamata olives, pitted, whole
1/4 cup capers

Directions

In a large pot, prepare the spaghetti according to package directions, using the 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. When ready, reserve about a cup of pasta water and set aside. While the spaghetti is boiling, prepare the sauce.

Using a small blender (like a Bullet Blender or similar), add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, anchovies, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, dried parsley, and dried basil. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the remaining extra-virgin olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and anchovy mixture, and cook for a few minutes while stirring continually. Add the vegetable stock, mix well, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes then stir in the tomato paste. Add in the canned tomatoes, breaking them up either by hand adding them one at a time, or with a wooden spoon as the sauce comes back to a boil. Cook until the spaghetti is ready. Remove the pan from the heat, add in the olives and capers then stir.

Toss with spaghetti. If needed, use the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and make tossing easier. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: