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Sometimes dinner needs to come from a box or a tin or a jar or, if you are making The New Basics pasta puttanesca, all of the above.
A few weeks ago, my neighbor, the one who introduced me to The Moosewood tomato salsa, strolled by the house, casually noting she was making a big pot of puttanesca, and wondered if we would like to join her. Well, as you can imagine, we did, and we gobbled up every olive, caper and strand of the spaghetti clinging to the pot.
Before I left that night, I snapped a photo of the recipe open on Sandra’s counter, and I’ve made the pasta once a week since. The hardest part about making the sauce is smashing a few cloves of garlic and coarsely chopping a half cup of olives.
The rest comes from pantry staples: plum tomatoes, anchovies (a whole tin!), capers (a whole jar!). After an hour of simmering — this is easy, not fast — the plum tomatoes break down, the anchovies dissolve, the cloves of garlic melt. The sauce can certainly be made ahead and the pasta cooked just before dinner, which makes for easy preparations at the dinner hour.
The New Basics Puttanesca
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Print Recipe
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Adapted from The New Basics Cookbook
If you are sensitive to salt, this may not be the dish for you, but cutting back the quantities of capers, anchovies and olives would reduce the saltiness. Also, a splash of heavy cream never hurts.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can (2 oz.) anchovy fillets, undrained
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 28-oz can San Marzano plum tomatoes
- 1 jar (2 1/2 oz) or 1/4 cup capers, drained
- 1/2 cup black or kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/2 lb. pasta — shapes like campanelle and orecchiette catch all of those yummy bites of capers and olives, but use what you like
Instructions
- Place all ingredients with the exception of the pasta in large pot or wide-mouthed sauté pans. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring every so often — you need something like a potato masher or flat-bottomed whisk or wooden spoon to gently crush the tomatoes as well as the garlic cloves every so often. The anchovies dissolve on their own, but the tomatoes and garlic need assistance.
- Boil pasta — no need to salt the water — drain, and toss with sauce.
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Keywords: pantry, puttanesca, sauce, pasta, simple
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Emily @ Table & Hearth says
This looks absolutely divine! Definitely putting it into the rotation, likely with the addition of some italian sausage to satisfy the husband 🙂
alexandra says
Nice! Thanks, Emily! Sausage sounds delish.
Jill Silverman Hough says
Does a splash of cream EVER hurt??? This recipe looks delicious, and love that you feature such a classic book by sharing it. “The Silver Palate” will always have a place on my shelf!
alexandra says
🙂 🙂 🙂 Never! I’m thinking I need to spend some time in the old classics…been too long.
Liz says
I’ve had some deadlines lately and have been struggling with the paucity of edible fast food places in my neighborhood and have grown so tired of the remotely edible stand-ins–now, you’ve rescued me, especially with the cold weather. Thank you! This recipe will be a new staple. A little chopped parsley, if one more step, would be nice, yes? Even better–a loaf of your peasant bread on the side.
alexandra says
Yes, always peasant bread on the side 🙂 love the idea of parsley
Monique says
In the next few days ..for certain..Looks fantastic.
alexandra says
Yes, you must!
Kelsey Marcus says
That pasta looks just like some that I have at home- I believe they were called “Rye Trumpets”- looks like the recipe was meant to be…gotta make it ASAP!
alexandra says
Do it! 🙂 🙂
Amy says
We make a similar version, such a great dish and quick to make.
alexandra says
Yes! I can’t wait to try a summer one next year.
Laurie says
A pasta post! and I just bought a pasta roller attachment for my Kitchen Aid last night! lol! I am very excited to make pasta myself for the first time!
alexandra says
Amazing!! I have the ravioli attachment…it was a wedding gift…10 years later, still haven’t used it. I must!
patty says
Thank you for this recipe. Delicious. I made it last evening for dinner, super easy and effortless. My husband and daughter loved it, as they are fond of olives. I am not. I used kalamata olives, next time I will try using black instead. It may appeal to all of us then. Also added some basil. I can’t get enough of it lately. Love your site. You are my go to for trusted recipes. Don’t stop or we will all be hungry here. 🙂
alexandra says
Patty, thank you! You are too kind. Loved reading this 🙂
Liz says
This is the dish my husband requests every birthday. We first had it when dating at a little restaurant in Berkeley (now sadly closed). I found the trick to reproducing it was the can of anchovies plus the oil they were in. Yes, not a good one if you are watching salt!
alexandra says
Sorry just seeing this! Sorry to hear about the restaurant but glad you know how to recreate the dish … it’s become a staple around here … no one’s watching their salt intake 🙂
Liz says
I made this last night for dinner–you’re right, it comes together in 5 minutes, and the hour simmering makes the creamiest sauce with little pools of golden olive oil amidst the tomatoes, which deepen in color and intensify in flavor. You wouldn’t know the anchovies are there except for the earthy under notes. I did add a dusting of parmigiano reggiano when serving, but it needs nothing really. What a great Friday night meal after a long week–like going out but wearing your comfy clothes. This is a recipe to return to.
alexandra says
so happy to hear this, liz!
Liz says
Forgot to say–it doesn’t need parsley at all!! And it is delicious with your peasant bread and a glass of wine.
Anna says
I just made this tonight, and it’s AWESOME! I didn’t have anchovies so I used sardines, and I added some mushrooms. Super yummy. Definitely going to make again and again.
alexandra says
So happy to hear this, Anna!
milas says
Moi je dis juste Bravo
exactement comme je l’ai toujours préparé
La simplicité mène au progrès je vois que les choses ne se perde pas i’m happy
Veronica says
Hi Alexandra – I’ve been following your blog (and cooking the recipes) for months. You’re my go-to place whenever I want to try something new, am having people over, or just want to look at beautiful photos. Made this Sunday for our annual Golden Globes party and everyone raved – had leftovers again tonite and liked it even more! Used orrechetti pasta which made beautiful little cups for the sauce. Thanks!
alexandra says
So happy to hear this, Veronica! It’s such a good pantry-cooking recipe, right? And thank you for your kind words. Means so much. Your annual party sounds fun!
Kevin B. says
This looks incredible (I guess I need to open my New Basics cookbook more often). I think I’ll double this to freeze extra sauce for the cold months. Would you double all ingredients, including the oil? One cup sounds like a lot?
alexandra says
Great idea! 1 cup of oil does seem like a lot. I think you would be fine doing 3/4 cup oil or even keeping the oil at 1/2 cup.
Lindsay says
Yup, you really can’t go wrong with this! DJ (who eats salt straight-up by the pinch) was in some kind of seventh heaven. This would be gorgeous over fish or chicken too, but we didn’t have any leftovers. 🙂 Also, wanna come to VT on Feb. 6? I’m hosting a soup swap! xox
alexandra says
So happy to hear this, Linds! And happy to hear from you 🙂 I would love to come to your soup swap but I can’t on the 6th 🙁 But I will be in VT soon — I’ll keep you posted! xo
Tj says
So good, we licked the bowl! Made with Italian yellow Roma tomatoes for a little less acid. Delicious!
alexandra says
Nice! So happy to hear this. The yellow Romas sound delicious.
Kiara says
Had this bookmarked forever and finally just made, exactly as written. I think you’re the only person whose recipes I follow exactly, haha. It was so delicious. Salty in a comforting way.
alexandra says
So happy to hear this, Kiara! And thank you … means a lot 🙂
katie says
I make this SO much. My family just loves it. It’s my best “pantry meal” so I always keep extras of all the ingredients on hand. Sometimes I add chicken, sometimes I add feta, it’s always delicious. You can’t go wrong. Seriously the best puttanesca. My life has been improved because of your recipe 🙂 Thank you!
★★★★★
alexandra says
I’m so happy to hear this! I made this for the first time — gasp! — this winter this past weekend, and I forgot how much I love it. So glad you approve, too 🙂