Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca

Puttana means prostitute and this is the pasta dish she would use to seduce her clients.
Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca
  • 1 sixteen ounce package of dried spaghetti
  • 6 anchovy fillets, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
  • 3 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice, coarsely chopped
  • salt
  • 2 tsps coarsely chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
  • 2 Tbs capers, drained and rinsed in fresh water
  • 8-10 black olives, pitted and julienned

Put all but 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and all the anchovies in a large skillet over a low heat and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the anchovies dissolve.

Add the garlic and cook for about 15 seconds, taking care not to brown it.

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the tomatoes with a pinch of salt.  When the sauce comes to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer until the tomatoes have reduced and separated from the oil: 20-40 minutes depending on the size of the skillet.  Remove the heat and set aside.

You can prepare the sauce ahead of time up to this point and refrigerate it.

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan or pot, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, stirring until the strands are submerged.

When the pasta is halfway done, return the skillet with the sauce to a medium heat, adding the oregano, capers and olives.

When the pasta is cooked al dente, drain and toss with the sauce in the skillet over a low heat, adding the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.  Taste for salt and serve at once.