Easy spaghetti alla puttanesca

Alla puttanesca is one of the best ways to enjoy an Italian fare - with capers, anchovies, olives and rich tomatoes, it's a Mediterranean delight.

Credit: Adam Liaw

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• pinch chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp dried Greek oregano
• 30 g can anchovies
• 1 tbsp baby capers, drained or rinsed
• 90 g (½ cup) black olives, pitted
• 400 g can chopped tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
• 500 g best-quality spaghetti
• chopped parsley, to serve

Instructions

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then add a good handful of salt.
2. When the water has nearly come to the boil, place the oil, garlic, chilli, oregano, anchovies, capers and olives in a large heavy–based frying pan over low heat. Stir for 2-3 minutes or until the anchovies are ‘melted’.
3. Add the tomatoes, crushing them with a wooden spoon. Increase the heat to high and simmer vigorously for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low.
4. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions. Using tongs, remove the spaghetti from the water straight into the sauce and toss vigorously to release the starch, adding a little more water if necessary to loosen.
5. Check the seasoning, then serve scattered with parsley.

 

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.