Penne Pasta Puttanesca
This penne pasta puttanesca is a go-to weeknight meal when you need to have a satisfying dinner on the table in a hurry. It's made from just a few shelf-stable pantry ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, and that you may already have in your kitchen right now!
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4-6 large garlic cloves, sliced
- 1-3 tsp red chili flakes
- 1-2 fillets anchovy (omit for strict vegetarian version, or see notes)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp capers
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives (with brine)
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp garlic powder (optional)
- 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 16 oz penne pasta (spaghetti or linguini are traditional, and any long pasta will also work)
- salt to taste (for pasta water and sauce) & black pepper
- Parmesan cheese or fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
prep ingredients:
- Fill a large pot with salted water (taste it if you aren't sure- it should be just lightly salted, as this sauce is already quite salty) and bring it to a boil while you start the sauce.
- Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves, and assemble the rest of the ingredients.
build the puttanesca sauce:
- In a saute pan or medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil until it begins to shimmer. Saute the garlic, chili flakes, and anchovy until they're fragrant, and the garlic is just beginning to color very lightly around the edges.
- Stir in the tomato paste and saute briefly, breaking the tomato paste up with the spatula or wooden spoon.
- Add the capers and kalamata olives with their liquid and saute for another minute. Next, add the oregano and garlic powder, if you're using it, and some freshly ground black pepper.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes and the spoonful of sugar and simmer the sauce over medium high heat while you cook the pasta.
- You can also leave it to simmer over very low heat if you want to prepare it ahead of time and hold it to serve later.
cook the pasta:
- When the pasta water is at a rolling boil, add all the pasta and stir. Stir again a few more times as you bring it back up to a rolling boil. Cook according to package directions (usually 9-12 minutes, but cook times vary).
- Taste the pasta and drain it when it is just cooked through but still firm. Reserve a cup or so of the pasta water (although you may not need it).
combine the sauce with the pasta:
- Toss the hot pasta with the sauce, and mix until well combined. Add a splash of the reserved hot pasta water if the sauce seems thick, or isn't clinging to all the pasta. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately in wide bowls or deep plates. You can garnish it with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, chopped fresh parsley, or just some fresh black pepper or pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Calories: 403kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 11gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 362mgPotassium: 380mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 307IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg
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