Spaghetti alla puttanesca

Thinly slice the garlic, finely chop the anchovy fillets, halve the olives, and rinse the capers under cold water to wash off excess salt. Chop the parsley and set everything aside so the sauce comes together quickly.

• 4 cloves garlic
• 8 fillets anchovies
• 150 g olives
• 2 tbsp capers
• 2 tbsp parsley

✅ C'est prêt quand : all ingredients are prepped and within reach of the stove

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, anchovies and chili flakes, and cook gently, stirring, until the anchovies dissolve into the oil and the garlic turns pale gold. Keep the heat low — if the garlic browns it turns bitter and the sauce loses its sweetness.

• 60 ml olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 8 fillets anchovies
• 1 tsp chili flakes

✅ C'est prêt quand : the anchovies have melted into the oil and the garlic is pale gold, not browned

Add the crushed tomatoes and a small pinch of salt. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and deepens in color. This slow simmer is what concentrates the flavor, so resist the urge to rush it.

• 700 g tomatoes
• to taste salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the sauce has thickened and no longer looks watery

Stir in the olives and capers and simmer for 5 more minutes so their briny flavor blends into the sauce. Taste before adding more salt — anchovies, olives and capers are already salty, so the sauce rarely needs extra.

• 150 g olives
• 2 tbsp capers

✅ C'est prêt quand : the olives and capers are warmed through and the sauce smells rich and briny

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously, so it tastes like the sea — this is the only chance to season the pasta itself. Cook the spaghetti until al dente, about 1 minute less than the package instructions, then scoop out a cup of the starchy cooking water before draining.

• 400 g spaghetti
• to taste salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : the pasta is al dente, firm with a slight bite at the center

Add the drained spaghetti straight into the skillet with the sauce. Toss over medium heat for about a minute, splashing in some reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce clings to every strand and looks glossy rather than watery. Stir in the parsley and serve right away.

• 400 g spaghetti (cooked, from step 5)
• 2 tbsp parsley

✅ C'est prêt quand : the pasta is glossy and well coated, with the sauce clinging to the strands rather than pooling at the bottom