Spaghetti alla puttanesca (whore’s pasta) probably originated in Naples and according to the Professional Union of Italian Pasta Makers, it only became popular in the 1960s. The earliest printed reference to it as pointed out in the Grande Dizionario Della Lingua Italiana, is Raffaele La Capria’s 1961 novel Ferito a Morte which calls it “spaghetti alla puttanesca come li fanno a Siracusa”. (Spaghetti alla puttanesca as they make it in Syracuse). As can be expected, there are a large number of people that claim to it’s invention, one of them suggesting that the dish was invented in the 1950’s by Sandro Petti, one of the

owners of Rancio Fellone, a famous restaurant in Ischia. Apparently, one evening Petti found a group of ravenous friends sitting at one of his tables – because he didn’t have too much left in the kitchen, he told them that he didn’t have much left but they wouldn’t hear of it –  ”facci una puttanata qualsiasi” (make any darn thing from whatever rubbish you have left in the kitchen) they said and because Petti didn’t have anything other than 4 tomatoes, 2 olives and a handful of capers, that’s what he made! Be that as it may, today it’s made quite differently but is still quickly made. Here’s our version.

Method

• 420g tinned tomatoes, chopped
• 200g spaghetti
• 2 heaped tsp capers, rinsed and drained
• 6 anchovy fillet, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small hot red chilli, finely chopped
• 10 black olives, pitted  and quartered
• 1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil, about 3 tbsp
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (take care of the pepper as there is chillies)

Method

• Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the anchovies, the garlic and stir to break up the anchovies.
• Now add the chillies, the capers, the olives, the tomatoes and salt and black pepper, bringing it to the boil.
• Reduce the  heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about  10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta until it is just al dente, drain and put in a colander.
• Drain the pasta into a colander, put the sauce in the bottom of the pot, top with the hot pasta, a little parsley, a splash of olive oil and toss to combine everything.