Spaghetti Puttanesca

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound dried spaghetti

• Kosher salt

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced or finely chopped by hand (see note above)

• 4 to 6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped 

• Large pinch red pepper flakes

• 1/4 cup capers, drained and chopped 

• 1/4 cup chopped pitted black olives

• 1 cup  whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, roughly broken up by hand (about half a 14 ounce can)

• Small handful minced fresh parsley leaves

• 1 ounce finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1  5-ounce can oil-packed tuna (optional)

Preparation

1. Place spaghetti in a large skillet, sauté pan, or saucepan and cover with water. Add a small pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking.

2. Using a low volume of water for the pasta increases the water's starchiness, which will help to bind the sauce. Finishing the pasta in the sauce coats each noodle with flavor.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, combine 4 tablespoons oil, garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat until garlic is very lightly golden, about 5 minutes. (Adjust heat as necessary to keep it gently sizzling.) Add capers and olives and stir to combine.

4. Add tomatoes, stir to combine, and bring to a bare simmer. Continue to simmer until pasta is cooked to just under al dente (about 1 minute less than the package recommends).

5. Using tongs,  drain pasta through a colander, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Add drained pasta to sauce.

6. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water to sauce and increase heat to bring pasta and sauce to a vigorous simmer. Cook, stirring and shaking the pan and adding more pasta water as necessary to keep sauce loose, until pasta is perfectly al dente, 1 to 2 minutes longer. (The pasta will cook more slowly in the sauce than it did in the water.) Stir in remaining olive oil, parsley, and cheese.

7. Season with salt and pepper. (Be generous with the pepper and scant with the salt—the dish will be plenty salty from the other ingredients.) If using, stir in canned tuna and break it up with a fork. Serve immediately with more grated cheese at the table.

Credits to Kenji Lopez Alt 

Urban Cowgill 2017 (updated 2023)