Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Ingredients for spaghetti alla puttanesca can be found in most Italian kitchens even with an empty fridge. Therefore it is a perfect alternative to take-away.

The origin of this very popular dish and – not least – its name has been intensely debated, in contrast to the  general agreement about ingredients and mode of preparation. A puttanesca sauce is always made from tomatoes, garlic, capers, olives and anschovies. Ingredients that can be found in most Italian kitchens even with an empty the fridge. Therefore it is a perfect dish to serve fora bunch of hungry teenagers, unexpected visitors or as a fast and easy alternative to take-away.

Ingredients
10 black olives
2 tbsp capers
4 anchovies
2 cloves of garlic
1 peperoncino
5 tomatoes (or 1 can of tomatoes)
olive oil
Fresh parsley

Preparation
If you are using salted anchovies, start be soaking them in water and removing the bones.
Remove the stones from the olives.
Chop olives, capers and anchovies finely.
Heat the olive oil in a casserole and fry sliced garlic and peperoncino. Make sure not to burn the garlic, as this will give a bitter taste.
Add capers, anchovies and olives and swirl them around for a couple of minutes.
Skin and chop the tomatoes and add them to the sauce.
Let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes while you cook spaghetti or linguine.
Serve spaghetti alla puttanesca with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

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