Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Ingredients

• 400g spaghetti
• 6 anchovy fillets in oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp salted capers
• 110g Gaeta or Kalamata olives, stoned
• 1 dried red chilli
• 500g tinned whole peeled tomatoes
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• A small handful of flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp coarse salt, for the pasta water

Before you cook

• Rinse the salted capers under cold water and soak them for 10 minutes, then drain
• Slice the garlic cloves thinly
• Tear the olives roughly off their stones if they are not already pitted
• Crush the tomatoes to a coarse pulp by hand
• Chop the parsley leaves, keeping the stalks aside
• Crumble the dried chilli

Steps

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the coarse salt.
2. Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over low heat with the sliced garlic and crumbled chilli.
3. Cook the garlic gently for 2 minutes, until it is pale gold and perfumed but not browned.
4. Add the anchovy fillets and mash them into the oil with a wooden spoon until they dissolve completely.
5. Stir in the drained capers and torn olives and let them sizzle for a minute.
6. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir well.
7. Simmer the sauce uncovered over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until it thickens and the oil rises to the surface.
8. Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and stir.
9. Cook the spaghetti until 1 minute short of al dente.
10. Reserve a mugful of pasta water and drain the spaghetti.
11. Tip the pasta into the sauce and toss over medium heat for a minute, adding pasta water until it flows.
12. Taste the sauce and add salt only if it needs it, remembering the anchovies and capers are already salty.
13. Stir through the chopped parsley and serve immediately.