Pantry Pasta Puttanesca: A Bold & Easy Flavor Bomb

Do you have a strong desire for something really fulfilling, slightly spicy, and flavourful but don't want to rush to the store? Here comes Pantry Pasta Puttanesca. With its fabled past, this traditional Italian sauce is a lifesaver. Olives, capers, anchovies, and tomatoes are sturdy, shelf-stable ingredients that you probably already have. You can turn these basic ingredients into a pasta meal that tastes like it has been cooked for hours in less than half an hour. It's umami-rich, garlicky, briny, and salty. Let's transform your cupboard into a delicious Italian kitchen. Get your favourite knife from Sharp Blades.

Ingredients:
400g (14 oz) spaghetti or linguine
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4-6 anchovy fillets, packed in oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 (800g / 28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
100g (3.5 oz) pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
3 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Necessary Utensils:
Large pot for boiling pasta
Chef’s Knife (A Sharp Blades 8" Chef's Knife is perfect for slicing garlic and chopping olives)
Cutting Board
Large skillet or sauté pan
Wooden spoon or spatula
Colander
Measuring spoons

Cooking Time:
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Comprehensive Guide to Preparation:
Get Your Ingredients Ready: 
For the pasta, bring a big pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Slice the garlic thinly, chop the parsley, rinse the capers, and chop the olives while it warms. For this quick sauce, having everything ready (mise en place) is essential.

Create the Flavour Base: 
In your big skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the fillets of anchovies. Make an amazing umami foundation by mashing and stirring them with your wooden spoon until they dissolve entirely in the oil. Add the red pepper flakes and the garlic slices. Garlic should be aromatic but not browned after just one to two minutes of cooking.

For the sauce:
Add the can of crushed tomatoes to make the sauce. Mix thoroughly to include the oil and aromatics. Bring to a low simmer.

Add the Pantry Stars: Mix in the rinsed capers and diced olives. Simmer the sauce uncovered for ten to fifteen minutes, stirring now and then, until the flavours blend nicely and it thickens somewhat.

Cook the Pasta: 
Add your pasta to the boiling water and cook it as directed on the package for al dente while the sauce simmers.

Combine & Finish: 
Set aside about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water just before draining the noodles. After draining, put the pasta straight into the skillet with the sauce. For one to two minutes, vigorously toss everything together over low heat. Add a little of the pasta water that was set aside if the sauce looks too thick to help it stick to the noodles. Because the anchovies, olives, and capers are already salty, taste and adjust the spice with caution.

To serve:
Pasta should be divided into bowls for serving. Add a final pinch of black pepper, chopped fresh parsley, and a thin coating of extra virgin olive oil as garnish. Serve right away.

Nutritional Info (Per Serving)
Calories: ~520 kcal
Carbs: 82g
Protein: 16g
Fat: 16g
Fiber: 8g
Sugar: 12g

Expert Advice from Sharp Blades:
One of the best examples of quick gourmet pasta dishes made with pantry goods is this simple spicy spaghetti puttanesca recipe, which is also very forgiving. Allowing the sauce base to slowly boil for an additional minute will melt the anchovies and toast the garlic and chilli flakes, creating a more nuanced flavour basis. For clean cuts, always use a sharp chef's knife; a dull knife smashes olives and bruises garlic. Are you looking for more easy 30-minute Italian dishes or last-minute stunning dinner party ideas? For ideas that go well with our precision kitchen instruments, check out the Sharp Blades blog!