Spaghetti alla Puttanesca Recipe (Pasta with Olives)

This is another one of my Italian recipes I brought home with me after living in Italy and it doesn’t get much tastier than a simple Spaghetti alla Puttanesca.  Making pasta with olives gives deep robust flavor of the combined ingredients is pure joy for the mouth, Mangia!   You can increase or decrease the amount and variety of olives to your taste.

Chances are good that you will have extra sauce leftover, and it’s perfect to spread over lightly toasted french bread for a late-night snack. 

Ingredients to make Puttanesca sauce

• garlic
• olive oil
• anchovy fillets
• san marzano tomatoes
• pitted olives (assorted varieties to your taste)
• capers
• red pepper flakes
• spaghetti
• fresh basil leaves

Instructions:

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, prep the ingredients.

Once you have everything chopped, diced and opened,  heat up a stainless steel skillet on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  If you use a nonstick skillet don’t preheat the skillet, a nonstick should never be heated when empty. I always cook my pasta sauces in either a stainless steel skillet or an enameled dutch oven.

Add the anchovies and garlic to the skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Take care not to burn the garlic.  

Reduce heat to low and add the in olives, capers, and red pepper flakes, continue to cook for  2-3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-low. Cook stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.

Stir in the basil before serving.

Cooking time:

Ready in under 30 minutes

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Spaghetti alla Puttanesca Recipe

Yield: 4 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

A simple pasta dish ready in under 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 1 (14.5-ounce) crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 1/3 cup pitted olives, chopped
• 1 tablespoons capers
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ pound spaghetti
• Chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Heat a heavy skillet and add 2 tablespoons olive oil.
3. Add the anchovies and garlic to the heated skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute or so. Take care not to burn the garlic.  
4. Reduce heat to low and add the olives, capers and red pepper flakes, continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in the olives and cook for another minute.
6. Add the tomatoes to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-low. Cook stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.
7. Stir in the basil before serving.
   
   

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 2 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 345Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 421mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 8g

The nutritional information provided here are estimates and are not calculated by a registered dietitian.