Spaghetti Puttanesca with Anchovies, Tomatoes and Olives

Step-by-step recipe

1. Since spaghetti puttanesca cooks quickly, start by boiling the pasta. Put a pot of water on the heat and add salt. Which pasta to use is up to you: spaghetti or any other thin, long pasta. Anchovies in oil are sold in large supermarkets, and so is tomato pulp. You can buy either whole peeled tomatoes or ready-chopped pulp. It is best to use black olives, but not dyed ones.
   
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry one crushed garlic clove in it. When the garlic starts to darken, throw it away. Add 0.5 tsp dried chili flakes to the oil. Drain the oil from the anchovies and add the fillets to the pan. Fry the fish and chili for 1-2 mins. Add a full tablespoon of tomato paste, which deepens the flavor of the puttanesca sauce.
   
4. Peel another 1-2 garlic cloves, crush them with the flat of a knife and add them to the sauce. Chop the contents of a small can of tomato pulp by simply crushing the tomatoes with your hands, and add to the sauce. Salt the tomato, add a little dried oregano and 0.5 tsp sugar. Bring the tomato to a boil. Add a whole sprig of basil, the olives cut into rings and a few capers to the sauce.
   
5. Once the sauce starts to boil, lower the heat to a little below medium and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the puttanesca sauce for 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally. If needed, add more salt to taste and, if you like, some ground black pepper. When the sauce is ready, you can throw away the basil sprig and the garlic cloves.
   
6. Drain the cooked pasta in a colander. Then add the pasta to the sauce and toss gently. It is important that all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Divide the pasta among plates and serve at once. The dish is very aromatic, with a delicate flavor of anchovies and tomatoes and a mild piquant heat.
   
7. You can make the sauce ahead and keep it in the fridge for a few days in an airtight container. This is handy if you prepare meals several days ahead. All that is left is to boil the pasta and reheat the sauce in a pan.