Skip to Content
Recipes

Pasta Puttanesca

3:49 PM EST on March 3, 2023

pasta dish on white ceramic plate

Whatever the theory about the origins of Pasta Puttanesca, and how the aroma conjured from the brothels of Naples lured in Giovannis, we at Appetito lust in the here and now for this dish because it's pantry-accessible with simple ingredients and vibrant flavors.

Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta Puttanesca

Recipe by andrewappetito
0.0 from 0 votes
Course: Recipes
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

25

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of a long pasta such as spaghetti or fettuccine

  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 4 anchovy filets

  • 4 cloves of garlic (chopped)

  • 3/4 cup pitted, cured olives (rough chopped)

  • 2 tbsp capers

  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)

  • 1 28-oz can of imported, whole tomatoes (crushed by hand)

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

  • salt to taste

Directions

  • Put a large pot of water on to boil.
  • Bring 3 tbsp of olive oil to a shimmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Add the garlic and anchovy, adjusting heat or even temporarily removing from heat to keep the garlic from burning. Saute until the garlic is lightly browned and the anchovies break apart.
  • Raise heat, add the tomatoes, season with salt, bring to a quick boil and then let simmer for ten minutes (stirring on occasion).
  • Add the olives, capers, red pepper flakes, and half the basil. Keep simmering until the sauce thickens (10–15 minutes).
  • Salt the boiling water and add the pasta. Cook till a minute short of al dente. Drain and quickly add to the saute pan with the sauce (or combine in a large serving bowl). Allow the noodles to finish cooking in the sauce.
  • Remove to a serving bowl. Swirl in the remaining olive oil. Top with the remaining basil.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @appetitomagazine on Instagram and hashtag it with #italianfoodanddrink

Like this recipe?

Follow @Appetitomagazine on Pinterest

Follow us on Facebook!

Follow us on Facebook

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More Stories

My Beautiful North End: An Insider’s Food Tour of Boston

Maria DelVecchio brings a lifetime of food, stories and hospitality to every guest she meets.

August 21, 2026

This Week in Italian Food News: New Restaurant Openings (Aug. 21)

New Italian restaurants are opening across the country, with fresh arrivals in Savannah, Miami and Milwaukee and plenty of pizza in the mix.

August 21, 2026

Tomatoes and Burrata: A Taste of Italian Summer

Ripe tomatoes and creamy burrata are all you need for one of summer’s simplest Italian dishes.

August 21, 2026

Roscioli’s Cacio e Pepe: The Dish You Can Now Make at Home

The restaurant has perfected its delivery of the dish over decades since its original location’s opening in the 1970s.

August 20, 2026

Sa Pompìa: The Rare Citrus Preserving Sardinia’s Culinary Identity

For generations, Sardinian cooks have transformed this bitter fruit into a treasured traditional sweet.

August 20, 2026

Inside AMMAZZA!: Chef Hillary Sterling of Ci Siamo

Chef Hillary Sterling talks vegetables, the childhood memories behind AMMAZZA! and why curiosity remains central to the way she cooks and leads.

August 20, 2026