“Whore’s pasta.” Was ever a name so perfectly suited to a dish? This is edgy, spicy, and just the right side of wrong, conjuring up visions of Neapolitan streets and dangerous women in tight dresses.–Sophie Dahl

White bowl with ziti and a pasta puttanesca sauce

Pasta Puttanesca

5 / 2 votes
This pasta puttanesca, made with tomatoes, anchovies, olives, and penne is edgy, spicy, and sassy, just like the women it’s named after.
David Leite
CourseMains
CuisineItalian
Servings4 servings
Calories571 kcal
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1 fresh red chile, seeded and chopped
  • Two (14 1/2-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes, drained
  • 8 anchovy fillets
  • 1 teaspoon light brown sugar, (optional)
  • 1 cup black olives, pitted and chopped if desired
  • 12 to 16 ounces penne, preferably spelt pasta (spelt has a lovely light texture and nutty flavor, not to mention a healthful wholesomeness)
  • 4 heaping tablespoons chopped basil or flat-leaf parsley leaves

Instructions 

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the garlic and chile and sweat. (No, not you, she means to cook the garlic and chile over moderately lowish heat so they slowly, slowly throw off their moisture).
  • Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and then take it down to low heat.
  • Pull out a pestle and mortar and mash the anchovies with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into a paste.
  • Add the paste to the simmering sauce and carry on with the simmering for about 20 minutes more. The sauce should smell musky and heady.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta as directed on the box until it is al dente and drain.
  • You could add 1 teaspoon brown sugar to the sauce here, although taste it first and then decide whether you'd like to add it or not. Add the olives to the sauce, spoon it over the pasta, scatter with a big handful of parsley, and pretend you’re in a crowded trattoria in a winding alleyway in Naples.

Video

Notes

An Even Quicker Pasta Puttanesca Variation

When time constraints scream for takeout, consider tossing together this weeknight-friendly pasta instead. The truly impatient should note that this quick recipe can be made even more quickly by relying on a pinch of red pepper flakes rather than a tediously chopped fresh chile and a smidgen of anchovy paste from a tube rather than the slippery real deal.
Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights cookbook

Adapted From

Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights

Buy On Amazon

Nutrition

Serving: 1 portionCalories: 571 kcalCarbohydrates: 67 gProtein: 13 gFat: 28 gSaturated Fat: 4 gMonounsaturated Fat: 19 gCholesterol: 5 mgSodium: 541 mgFiber: 4 gSugar: 4 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!
Recipe © 2010 Sophie Dahl. Photo © 2010 Jan Baldwin. All rights reserved.

Recipe Testers’ Reviews

So easy and fast! It took longer for the water to boil than it did to throw together this sauce.

This is one of those dishes where you won’t taste the anchovies because they just meld into the sauce, but you also definitely don’t want to leave them out. I threw in chopped basil since it’s what we have growing. The whole thing was garlicky, salty, and spicy enough to make us happy.

This pasta puttanesca is a keeper. It’s easy and flavorful. I added capers to mine because, well, I like it voluptuous…

I can’t believe how fast this pasta puttanesca was to make and how good the results were. My husband and I both liked this and it will be part of my repertoire of weeknight recipes. I used a chile pepper, anchovies (as opposed to paste), and basil (not parsley), and didn’t add the brown sugar. I’m a deep down, true blue pasta lover and was quite impressed with spelt pasta, which I hadn’t tried before. It’s better than whole-wheat pasta (yuck!).




About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. My work has also appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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Recipe Rating




13 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe is delicious and is every bit sassy, spicy and edgy as described by the author. Added bonus, it is super-fast and simple!! I used red pepper flakes for the heat, fire roasted tomatoes, which were blitzed a bit with the immersion blender, and kalamata olives. The 1 t. of light brown sugar is a must. That small amount contrasted so well with all those bold spicy, sassy, salty flavors, but I really adore that sweet/salty thing anyway. All in all, a wonderful recipe, especially with the spelt pasta. One I know will end up on my list of “Craving” recipes.

    1. Fantastic, Deb! We love that this has made your craving list. Please let us know what you try next.