Pasta Puttanesca

recipe

A ‘spaghetti alla puttanesca’ recipe is a store cupboard hero. It was invented in Naples in the mid-20th century that packs an aromatic punch and then some. This week You! collaborates with Chef Naim, Executive Chef at Avari Towers, Karachi, who shares the recipe of Pasta Puttanesca from its famous Italian Nights every Thursday at Asia Live. This beautiful, punchy, authentic pasta can be rustled up in no time! Enjoy!

Ingredients

Spaghetti 1 lb

Olive oil 2 tbsp

Onion (finely chopped) 1/2 cup

Garlic (chopped) 3 cloves

Canned anchovies (chopped) 3-4

Tomato paste 2 tbsp

Red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp

Crushed tomatoes (28-ounce can) 1

Dried oregano 2 tsp

Small non-pareil capers 2 tbsp

Olives (pitted - black or green) 3/4 cup (95 g)

Spring onion (coped) 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Fresh parsley (chopped) 1/4 cup

Method

• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep saute pan. When the oil is hot, saute the onions until they’re soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
  
• While the onions are cooking, stir in the chopped anchovies along with some of the oil from the can. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
  
• Mix in the tomato paste and cook it for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  
• Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, chilli pepper flakes, and roughly chopped olives. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.
  
• Stir the parsley into the pasta sauce. Add some water into the sauce to thin it if it has become too thick.
  
• Bring a large pot of salted water (5 quarts water, 2 tbsp salt) to a boil. When you add the spaghetti to the boiling water to cook, add the capers to the sauce and continue to simmer it gently. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, to al dente, cooked but still slightly firm. Drain it, put in a large bowl and drizzle a little olive oil.
  
•   Add a ladle’s worth of sauce to the pasta and mix to combine. Serve in shallow bowls with more sauce on top.