Classic Puttanesca Pasta Sauce
A bold, chunky Italian tomato sauce made with whole canned tomatoes, anchovies, capers, and olives. Ready in 25 minutes, makes enough sauce for a pound of dried pasta.
Equipment
- 10-inch saute pan
Ingredients
- 1 28-ounce can (795 g) whole tomatoes
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 3-4 oil-packed anchovies chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) capers rinsed and drained
- ½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) pressed or grated garlic 4-5 cloves
- 1 tablespoons (15 g) tomato paste
- ⅓ cup green or black olives (such as Castelvetrano or Gaeta) pitted and halved
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Empty the can of tomatoes into a mesh colander set over a bowl — this will drain off excess water. Discard the water and add the tomatoes to the bowl. Crush them with your hands or use a potato masher or wooden spoon. Set the bowl aside.
- Add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 3-4 oil-packed anchovies, 2 tablespoons capers, and ½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper to a 10-12-inch saute pan or skillet and place over medium-high heat. Cook until the anchovies break down easily with a spoon and the capers begin to sizzle, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons pressed or grated garlic and 1 tablespoons tomato paste. Cook another 30 seconds to one minute, just until the garlic is aromatic. Add the reserved drained tomatoes, ⅓ cup green or black olives (such as Castelvetrano or Gaeta) and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened. Add the parsley and serve over hot cooked pasta.
Video
Notes
- About olives: Black olives such as kalamata olives or gaeta are traditional in puttanesca. But they can taste pretty strong to my palate. That's why I prefer plump green olives such as Castelvetrano. They are sweet, meaty and so delicious in pasta sauce.
- To store the sauce, pack into jars or other airtight container and refrigerate up to a week or freeze one month.
Nutrition
Calories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSodium: 259mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1g
