Authentic Spaghetti alla Puttanesca!
If you speak or understand Italian you’ll know that Spaghetti alla Puttanesca literally means prostitute’s spaghetti! ‘Puttana’ in Italian means prostitute or whore! However, despite the name, this is a very popular pasta recipe in Italy and abroad. Although, out of Italy, many recipes include other ingredients which often has Italians up in arms!
Alla Puttanesca: Whore’s spaghetti! How it got its name!
Like so many other Italian dishes there are various opinions on how this pasta dish 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’.
The two main Italian versions of Puttanesca
Whatever its origins, puttanesca is a very popular pasta dish. The original Neapolitan ingredients are simple but flavourful; fresh peeled tomatoes, capers, black olives, garlic, oregano and sometimes peperoncino. The original recipe from Naples, the capital of Campania, doesn’t actually include anchovies.
That version, apparently, comes from Lazio where they replace the oregano with parsley and anchovies and sometimes use green instead of black olives. Both recipes are simple to make and very tasty.
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 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!
Authentic or not authentic that is the question!
I recently came across a recipe on Jamie Oliver’s website for puttanesca. Jamie’s version comes from Gennarro Contaldo, a well-known Italian chef who has lived and worked in UK since 1969. This recipe is quite different from those found and eaten in Italy. It includes basil and Parmigiano and has no capers!
I spent an amusing few minutes reading the comment section under the recipe in which a number of outraged Italians had stated their total disagreement to the recipe, especially since Jamie Oliver captioned it as being authentic!
To caper or not to caper?
The recipe here is the one from Lazio, as I love the taste of anchovies! However, capers are a must and to caper or not to caper isn’t a question of choice. If you are planning to make ‘authentic’ puttanesca, it has capers! For the Italians, if it doesn’t have capers, it isn’t puttanesca. So, it needs to be called something else!
Authentic alla puttanesca always has capers!
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. Without anchovies, it would be more like the Neapolitan version and then you might want to add some oregano!
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)
Other must-try classic pasta recipes from Lazio
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Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti (14oz) I used spaghetti made by Rummo.
- 3-4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3-4 garlic cloves thinly sliced or finely chopped
- 6 to 8 anchovy fillets finely chopped (Italians prefer salted anchovies but you can also use those in oil)
- 1 teaspoon Peperoncino flakes or 1- ½ a chopped peperoncino (Italian red chilli pepper)
- 1 tablespoon capers drained and chopped. (Italians also prefer salted capers. If you use these rinse them under water before using them)
- 100 g pitted black or green olives (3.5oz) I used taggiasca olives
- 400 g Fresh sauce tomatoes (San Marzano or datterini) (140z) peeled, deseeded and chopped.
- 1 handful fresh parsley leaves chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper.
- Salt for pasta and to taste
Instructions
- Start boiling water for the spaghetti. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again.
- Meanwhile prepare the ingredients. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Peel, de-seed and chop the tomatoes. If anchovies and capers are salted rinse them under cold water. Then cut anchovies into small pieces. If they are large, remove the spine. Remove the seeds from the red chili pepper (if you are using it) and cut into small pieces.
- Heat some olive oil in a frying pan large enough to hold the cooked pasta later. Add the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes (peperoncino).
- Cook over a medium heat until garlic is very lightly golden and the anchovies have melted, about 5 minutes. (Adjust heat as necessary to keep it gently sizzling.)
- Add capers, a bit of parsley and olives and stir to combine.
- Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes, stir and bring to a bare simmer.
- Cook pasta to just under al dente (about 1 minute less than the package recommends).
- Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Add drained pasta to the sauce.
- Add a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and increase the heat to bring the pasta and sauce to a vigorous simmer.
- Cook, stirring and shaking the pan and adding more pasta water as necessary to keep sauce a little liquidy until pasta is perfectly al dente.
- Sprinkle with some more parsley.
- Season with salt and pepper as required.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
The quantity of the individual ingredients can be altered depending on one's taste. Some people prefer less olives, capers or anchovies.
Nutrition
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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!?
Mikayla says
I never knew puttanesca had such a 'salty' translation! I love hearing about the background of dishes before I make them. I love puttanesca but now I'm thinking that I've likely never had a truly authentic one so I'm definitely going to make this!
The Pasta Project says
We love sharing our knowledge about all of the ingredients and dishes! Even if they are a little 'salty' 😉 You will love this recipe I am sure!
katie says
Oh yum, I've never tried Puttenesca before but I was just wondering what to make for dinner. Seems like this is the perfect time to try it out.
Katie xoxo
The Pasta Project says
Hi Katie, hope you tried it and loved it! It really is an excellent recipe for dinner!
Jenni LeBaron says
This Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is exactly what I wish I had in front of me right now. I love the simple mix of olives and tomato, made even more rich with umami-packed anchovies. This is pasta perfection!
The Pasta Project says
Thank you, Jenni! We love the simplicity of it too!
eden says
This recipe was fantastic, easy to follow and fresh. I love traditional Italian food and you always have the best recipes!
Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme says
Such a classic recipe! I remember when I told my husband the translation of the name when I first made it. His jaw dropped, haha!
Kushigalu says
Simple and delicious recipe loaded with full of flavor. Can't wait to try this out. YUMMM!
Mirlene says
I love the taste of anchovies, too. I do try to use them as often as possible. But when it comes to pasta, nothing can beat them. Really keen to try this recipe (with capers, of course)!
Danielle says
Every time I had this spaghetti it had capers, so when I finally decide to make it at home, I will make sure I have enough capers for the recipe! It is a must!
Analida Braeger says
I am a food history nerd and I always love the back stories with a dish. Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Donna says
Loved this, and absolutely always yes to the capers!!! One of my fav meals and love how easy it is to put together
Sharon says
I'm definitely on the 'must caper' side of this puttanesca recipe. Simple and delicious but loads of flavor.
Lancej says
I just made the Spaghetti Puttenesca which was delicious. Living in Canada I usually make the recipe with canned San Marzano tomotes from Italy but made it with fresh garden tomatoes, peeled , cored and chopped. It was absolutely delicious and I think the family preferred it with fresh tomatoes. It was less saucy and so tasty. I also added a little shallot into the sauce as well which seemed to add to it. Thank you another great recipe from your blog.
Tammy says
THIS is my kind of pasta dinner. I love capers in pasta and almost always add them to my sauce. This looks divine! Now I'm craving for dinner 😀
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
I love it when there is an interesting history behind the name of a dish! Regardless of the name, this looks delicious. We love spaghetti in our house, and would love to give this authentic version a try!
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
It is so neat to learn the history of this dish! It is one of my favorites because of the olives- I just love that brine in the pasta! I can't wait to try your version!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
You know I love my spaghetti. This looks like it is right up my alley!!
Renu says
Nice to know about the history. Wonderful combination of flavours here and the pasta looks super delicious.
Erika says
I think this dish is gorgeous. It sounds fantastic!
Leslie says
Loving the ethnicity tips on this dish. Very enlightening! Looks like a delicious recipe that part is agreed on. haha!
Anne Lawton says
I have heard the stories about how puttanesca got its name, and it's still a tasty sauce!