If you speak or understand Italian you’ll know that Spaghetti alla Puttanesca literally means prostitute’s spaghetti! The word ‘puttana’ in Italian means prostitute or whore! Despite the raunchy name, this is a very popular pasta recipe in Italy and abroad. However, outside of Italy, many recipes include other ingredients, which often has Italians up in arms!
What is Puttanesca?
Like so many other Italian dishes there are various opinions on how pasta puttanesca got its name! Some believe that it was a dish made by a brothel owner in the Spanish quarter (red light district) of Naples.
Although it's not clear, if he offered it to his patrons or used it to entice customers through the door with the spicy, pungent aroma produced by its ingredients.
Others believe that this was the easiest thing prostitutes could prepare between customers because the low cost, easily stored ingredients required little shopping or preparation.
More believable, perhaps, is the story that this very popular sauce originated in Ischia around 1950. It was created by Sandro Petti, the co-owner of the restaurant, Rangio Felon.
The story goes that some customers arrived late to eat and because the restaurant had run out of many fresh ingredients, they asked Petti to prepare ‘una puttanata qualsiasi’, which literally translates as ‘a whore’s any’ but means any rubbish/ garbage.
So, Petti created a dish with what he had, or rather had left, in the kitchen. The resulting pasta dish was liked so much by the customers that Petti put it on the restaurant menu calling it ‘spaghetti all puttanesca’.
Two rules for authentic Puttanesca
Italians love to talk about food and they are very vocal when it comes to discussing the correct ingredients for traditional dishes. Because there are regional versions of many popular dishes, they can often be heard disputing among themselves what is the correct way to cook something!
However, when it comes to spaghetti puttanesca there are a couple of strict rules Italians all agree on. No Parmigiano cheese if you make it with anchovies (Italians don’t usually use cheese on seafood pasta dishes) and no basil.
Ingredients
- Pasta: Use a good quality Italian branded pasta if possible. Traditionally spaghetti is used for Puttanesca, but you can also use other long pasta types like linguine.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil adds a lot of richness to the puttanesca sauce, so it's important to use a good-quality one.
- Garlic: Thinly slice or chop the cloves of garlic to ensure it melds seamlessly into the oil, creating a fragrant base.
- Anchovy Fillets: These add a lot of richness and umami to the recipe. If using salted anchovies, rinse off the excess salt; if using oil-packed, drain them well.
- Peperoncino Flakes or Fresh Peperoncino (chili peppers): Adjust the heat to your liking.
- Capers: If using salted capers, rinse under water to remove excess salt. Capers add a necessary unique flavor to the dish.
- Olives: Black or green olives work well. I used taggiasca olives for their rich flavor and firm texture. You can also use kalamata olives or gaeta olives.
- Fresh Tomatoes: San Marzano or datterini tomatoes are ideal for their sweet flavor and low acidity. Peel and deseed them for a smoother sauce.
- Fresh Parsley: Use flat-leaf parsley for its stronger flavor. Alternatively, you can use fresh basil.
Expert Tips
Tomato Preparation: To deskin and deseed fresh tomatoes, start by scoring a small "X" on the bottom of each tomato. Blanch them in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, then transfer them to cold water. The skin should peel off easily. After, cut them in half horizontally and use a small spoon to remove the seeds.
Pasta Water and Sauce Consistency: Don't discard the pasta cooking water after boiling the spaghetti. This starchy water will help make a silky and well-emulsified sauce. If the sauce is too thick, gradually add some pasta water to reach your desired consistency. Conversely, if the sauce is too thin, allow it to simmer slightly longer to reduce it to your liking.
Step by Step Instructions
1) Start by boiling water for the spaghetti. Once boiling, add salt and return to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until just under al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta water before draining.
2) Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan or deep skillet. Add the garlic, anchovies, and peperoncino. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant and the anchovies have dissolved, about 5 minutes.
3) Add capers, a bit of parsley and olives and stir to combine.
4) Add the tomatoes to the pan and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over a medium-low heat.
5) Add the drained spaghetti and a splash of pasta water to the sauce.
6) Cook, stirring and shaking the pan and adding more pasta water as necessary to keep the sauce a little liquid until pasta is perfectly al dente. Sprinkle in more parsley and taste to season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftover Spaghetti alla Puttanesca in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy it within the next 3 days.
When you're ready to reheat, place the leftovers in a microwave-safe dish and cover the dish. Microwave in intervals, stirring in between each interval to ensure even heating until the dish is hot throughout.
FAQs
If you are planning to make ‘authentic’ puttanesca, it has capers! Capers are a key ingredient. For the Italians, if it doesn’t have capers, it isn’t puttanesca. So, it needs to be called something else!
Of course, you should make it the way that suits your tastes. Ingredient quantities aren't rigid. It's still delicious if you use less or more of something.
If fresh tomatoes aren't available, you can also use a can of San Marzano tomatoes. However, you will need to simmer the sauce for longer before adding the pasta to get the right consistency.
The two main versions of Puttanesca are the original Neapolitan version and the version from Lazio. The Neapolitan recipe includes fresh peeled tomatoes, capers, black olives, garlic, oregano, and sometimes peperoncino. The Lazio variation, on the other hand, typically includes anchovies, replaces oregano with parsley, and sometimes uses green olives instead of black ones. Both recipes are simple to make and very tasty.
More popular Italian classic pasta recipes
- Spaghetti alla carbonara
- Spaghetti aglio e olio
- Bucatini all'arrabbiata
- Pasta cacio e pepe
- Pasta alla papalina
If you do try this spaghetti alla puttanesca recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.
Your feedback means a lot to me!
Buon appetito!
(This recipe was originally published in March 2018 but has been updated with new photos and text)
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 14 oz spaghetti
- 3-4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 6-8 anchovy fillets finely chopped (Italians prefer salted anchovies but you can also use those in oil)
- 1 teaspoon peperoncino flakes (Italian red chili pepper) or 1- ½ a chopped peperoncino
- 1 tablespoon capers drained and chopped. (Italians also prefer salted capers. If you use these rinse them under water before using them)
- 3.5 oz pitted black or green olives I used taggiasca olives
- 14 oz fresh sauce tomatoes (San Marzano or datterini) peeled, deseeded and chopped
- 1 handful fresh parsley leaves chopped
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt for pasta and to taste
Instructions
- Start by boiling water for the spaghetti. Once boiling, add salt and return to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until just under al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta water before draining.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add the garlic, anchovies, and peperoncino. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant and the anchovies have dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Add capers, a bit of parsley and olives and stir to combine.
- Add the tomatoes to the pan and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Add the drained spaghetti and a splash of pasta water to the sauce.
- Cook, stirring and shaking the pan and adding more pasta water as necessary to keep the sauce a little liquidy until pasta is perfectly al dente. Sprinkle in more parsley and taste to season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Although traditionally served with spaghetti, alla puttanesca can be served with other long pasta such as linguine or fettuccine.
- The quantity of the individual ingredients can be altered depending on one's taste. Some people prefer less olives, peperoncino, capers or anchovies.
Nutrition
Pin for Later:
If you are interested in learning how to make homemade pasta and different types of gnocchi, check out my shop page for some great video online courses from my friends in Rome! Nothing beats learning to make pasta from Italians! Plus while you’re there why not order a copy of my autumn/winter pasta recipes cookbook!?
Lesli Schwartz says
Definitely going to try this recipe! I just love authentic Italian dishes, especially when it includes anchovies! YES!
Linda says
What an interesting history and now I know why it's called that way. Love this pasta and the combination, especially with capers.
Amanda says
I love the salty, briny flavor the anchovies and capers give this dish! It really makes this pasta special. Thanks so much for sharing!
Kelly Anthony says
I'm loving all the strong flavors in this spaghetti alla puttanesca especially the olives, capers and anchovies. Yum!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
I'm totally on #TeamCapers in my puttanesca! It's the way I was taught to make it and, to have it without just seems...wrong, I loved this post so much as I love how you educate while tantilizing our tastebuds!
Jere Cassidy says
Thanks for including the stories on naming rights. As always your pasta dishes look amazing and yeah to the capers.
Veena Azmanov says
I love making such amazing Dinner options for family. They relish every bit of it. Thanks
Stine Mari says
No matter how it got its name it is really funny to think about! And it doesn't look like garbage at all, all those flavors sound so delicious together!
Raul says
Questa è una ricetta meravigliosa. Ingredienti semplici, ma allo stesso tempo una meravigliosa complessità di sapori. Un perfetto esempio del vecchio detto che "less is more". Auguri.
Camila says
Pasta a lá puttanesca has got to be one of my favorites. You have really made me crave for it now!
admin says
Thanks Camila, it's one of my favourites too! Every time I make it I wonder why I don't do it more often! So good! Regards from Verona! Jacqui
Samantha H. says
I love the story of this dish! I’ve never actually tried it before though, so I’m excited to go out of my spaghetti comfort zone and give it a try!
admin says
Grazie Samantha! Yes, lots of Italian dishes have interesting origins, some dating back to ancient times! I love including these stories in my posts. I'm sure you'd love puttanesca! I hope you do give it a try! All the best from Verona! Jacqui
Anna says
Ha ha! I love your explanation of what Spaghetti alla Puttanesca means. Even more amusing is that the reason I love this recipe is for the very same reasons you mention - it is cost effective, uses pantry ingredients and needs little shopping or preparation.
admin says
Thanks Anna! I love these anecdotes about the origins of Italian dishes and enjoy including them in my posts! Yes puttanesca is a fab dish because you can produce a super tasty meal with pantry ingredients and little time or cost! Greetings from Verona! Jacqui
sondria Harp says
I didn't know that there was such a controversy over this dish, but now I know! Capers all the way, plus I love capers so you don't have to twist my arm to include them. Can't wait to make this !
admin says
Thanks so much Sondria! I love capers too and include them in lots of recipes! Enjoy your puttanesca! Love from Verona! Jacqui
Lisa says
I love capers! My friend just made me a dish with them and I couldn't believe how good they are! This looks yummy! I'll have to give it a try!
Beth says
I love the learning about the origins of old recipes! This is a great story! You Italians have such colorful names for your dishes! This looks simply delicious!
admin says
Thanks so much Beth! Yes I love learning about the origins of recipes too and enjoy sharing the stories in my posts! I think in my next life I want to be a food historian! Hugs from Verona! Jacqui
melve says
I love to try this Mediterranean flavors of spaghetti for a change. Looks delicious and yummy.
admin says
Thanks so much Melve! Yes puttanesca is really a recipe of Mediterranean flavours. I'm sure you'll love it if you try it! All the best from Verona! Jacqui
Stephanie says
This looks so yummy! It reminds me of A Series of Unfortunate Events where the kids make Pasta Puttanesca 🙂 Now I can make it at home!
admin says
Thanks Stephanie I have yet to watch that series. It's on my to-watch list! I'll look out for the puttanesca episode! Enjoy your puttanesca at home! Love from Verona! Jacqui
kita says
Stephanie, I just heard this story and totally know exactly the scene youre talking about ;D great reference.
As for this recipe, it sounds wonderful. I have never made a puttanesca sauce (and even as I say this I can hear the voice actor describing it from the audio book), but now I doubly want to make it!
Ali Hanson says
Puttanesca is one of my favorite flavor combinations. I make an egg salad with all of these flavors and love it!
admin says
Egg salad with puttanesca ingredients sound delish. I'll have to give it a try Ali! Greetings from Verona. Jacqui
Mimi says
I’ve enjoyed many a pasta dish during my long life, but I think puttanesca is my favorite. It’s the olives, tomatoes, and capers that win my taste buds over! And I just found some salted capers finally, and I think I’ll make puttanesca soon!
admin says
Grazie Mimi, Yes Puttanesca is a favourite of mine too. It's so Mediterranean! Love the flavours! Enjoy your puttanesca and Happy Easter! Jacqui
In Cucina con Mamma Agnese says
Questa ricetta di pasta mi piace un sacco!!
La propongo spesso!!
admin says
Anche a me! Ho visto il tuo blog. Hai delle belle ricette! Grazie per aver visitato il mio blog. Salute Jacqui