Linguine Puttanesca

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Linguine tossed through a rich tomato sauce loaded with garlic, anchovies, black olives and capers, Linguine Puttanesca is a delicious explosion of fresh Mediterranean flavours, with a slightly spicy kick.

What is the history of this dish?

Exceptionally quick and easy to make, this economical, Napoletana dish has an interesting and much debated history. The story that I am most familiar with, is that it was created in the brothels of Napoli, both to feed the workers and also because, the delicious smell of the pasta sauce cooking, would lure in potential clients. Prostitute in Italian is ‘puttana’.

Another version is that this dish was created in the 1950s in a restaurant in Ischia, an island in the Bay of Naples. Allegedly, some customers arrived at the end of service and the chef created this dish, using the only ingredients he had available to him – ‘una puttana qualisi’ – he threw whatever he could find together to make this simple, but wonderfully flavourful pasta.

This recipe is so economical to prepare, it is considered a ‘cucina povera’ dish; literally poor kitchen or poor cooking, in other words, peasant food. Whatever its history, and however you like to describe this dish, serve some garlic bread on the side, and I guarantee that you will feel like you are feasting like kings!

Where is this particular recipe from?

If you do a google search, you will come across many Puttanesca recipes. The ingredients are very consistent, largely just the ratios varying. This recipe is from my insta friend Danielle Caminiti. Danielle is an Italian New Yorker, a foodie and a lawyer, who set up a fabulous blog and wrote a wonderful cookery book, ‘Courtroom to Cucina’, during the various Covid lockdowns. Her love of cooking and food helped her navigate the challenging two years and took her from ‘litigation to salivation’!

As well as a few fusion and American recipes, this wonderful cookery book is a celebration of the history and food of an Italian family, who originally moved to America almost a century ago. Danielle shares 70 authentic, mouthwatering recipes, which have stood the test of time, as well as rigorous testing by family and friends, through the decades. This is just one recipe featured in her fabulous book which is available in the UK through Amazon.

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How to make Linguine alla Puttanesca

Collect all your ingredients together:

• olive oil
• cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• anchovy fillets in olive oil – omit if cooking for a vegetarian.
• tins of whole tomatoes, ideally San Marzano
• freshly ground black pepper
• fine salt, or to taste
• oil-cured black olives
• capers, rinsed
• chilli flakes, or to taste
• sugar, if necessary

To serve:

• linguine, spaghetti or other long pasta
• chopped fresh parsley or basil
• garlic bread

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How to make this incredible pasta

(NB – when I made the Linguine Puttanesca in the photographs, I was cooking for 2 people, so used half the ingredients specified in the recipe below for 4 people.)

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over a moderate heat and add the crushed garlic and anchovies. Cook for 2 minutes or until aromatic, stirring from time to time.
2. Add the tomatoes and crush them using a fork.
3. Add the salt and pepper, stir well and cook, partially covered, over a moderate heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. After 10 minutes, put the pasta on to cook in salted water, according to packet instructions.
5. Meanwhile, add the olives, rinsed capers and chilli flakes to the tomato sauce and continue to simmer on low, partially covered, to create a rich, thick sauce. If it is not thick, turn the heat up a little to reduce it more quickly. Taste and adjust seasoning. You may need to add some extra salt and or a little sugar.
6. When the linguine is cooked, remove a cup of pasta water from the saucepan and drain the pasta.
7. Add the pasta to the sauce with the remaining olive oil and some pasta water. Toss and heat over a moderate heat until everything is piping hot.
8. Serve in warmed bowls, sprinkled with chopped parsley or basil and some garlic bread on the side.

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The following day:

This may not be traditional, so I apologise to the purists, but I had a little pasta leftover and the following day, served it with a poached egg and a drizzle of olive oil. It was an outstanding lunch!

Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.