Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (sort of)
A traditional Puttanesca sauce uses anchovies and capers as well as tomatoes, olives and garlic but I didn't have either of those in the cupboards so I swapped the anchovies for tuna and the capers for a preserved lemon... the result was delicious and, for me, what cooking is really about!
As is classic, I served mine with spaghetti but of course you can use whatever pasta shape you like. Or you could go even more off piste and do without pasta altogether - this sauce works well over chicken or pork served with potatoes or rice. As always, double up the recipe if you want to serve more people.
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (sort of)
Serves 2
oil
150g dried spaghetti
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 x 185g tin tuna, drained or 5 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
100g pitted olives, halved
1 tbsp capers, drained or 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of heavily salted water for 8 minutes. Do not drain!
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over a medium heat, fry the onion in a good drizzle of oil with a good pinch of salt and pepper for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli and tomatoes and continue to cook for few more minutes until the garlic is lightly coloured and the tomatoes have started to burst.
Add the tuna, olives and capers/lemon to the sauce and stir to combine. Add a ladleful of the water that the spaghetti was cooking in to the frying pan and turn up the heat. Add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss to combine - I use a pair of tongs here but you could just use two wooden spoons.
Check the seasoning and add a little more salt and pepper if needed. Add another small drizzle of oil and then serve.
As is classic, I served mine with spaghetti but of course you can use whatever pasta shape you like. Or you could go even more off piste and do without pasta altogether - this sauce works well over chicken or pork served with potatoes or rice. As always, double up the recipe if you want to serve more people.
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (sort of)
Serves 2
oil
150g dried spaghetti
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 x 185g tin tuna, drained or 5 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
100g pitted olives, halved
1 tbsp capers, drained or 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of heavily salted water for 8 minutes. Do not drain!
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over a medium heat, fry the onion in a good drizzle of oil with a good pinch of salt and pepper for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli and tomatoes and continue to cook for few more minutes until the garlic is lightly coloured and the tomatoes have started to burst.
Add the tuna, olives and capers/lemon to the sauce and stir to combine. Add a ladleful of the water that the spaghetti was cooking in to the frying pan and turn up the heat. Add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss to combine - I use a pair of tongs here but you could just use two wooden spoons.
Check the seasoning and add a little more salt and pepper if needed. Add another small drizzle of oil and then serve.
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