September in the Bay Area is typically when our warm weather begins. I love it because it extends our harvest with our favorite summer produce. In keeping with a budget-friendly meal theme, I’m making a delicious spaghetti alla puttanesca using our garden tomatoes.
Backstory
Puttanesca sauce is rumored to be named after ladies of the night. It is typically made from pantry items including can tomatoes, anchovies, capers, olives and dried pasta. It’s one of my favorite pasta dishes. Why? Because it’s really simple to make yet incredibly flavorful. Plus, it’s pretty cheap.
For this recipe, I used fresh Roma tomatoes from our garden which takes this dish up a notch in flavor in my opinion. If that isn’t an option, then frozen or can tomatoes also work perfectly well.
Besides really good tomatoes, the star attraction for this dish are the anchovies. Hands down. When it’s cooked in the sauce, it adds a mouthwatering flavor and saltiness that you just can’t get from salt alone. If you’re not a fan of anchovies, I highly recommend trying them. Or, at the very least, reduce the number of anchovies. It really does make a huge difference in the flavor.
There are many adaptations of this recipe but my favorite variation adds stove top panko breadcrumbs. This recipe was inspired by the Puttanesca dish from Melissa Perello’s restaurant, Frances, in San Francisco which I had almost 2 years ago. That dish was amazing and memorable. Thinking about that dish makes me drool. Plus, that crunch from the panko breadcrumbs not only adds to the texture but gives it that little something extra. If you’re unfamiliar with panko breadcrumbs, read more about it here.
In Conclusion
Spaghetti alla puttanesca is one of those staple dishes that you can easily make any time of the year using ingredients from your pantry. It’s a money and time saver which is great for the wallet as well as the stress level. If you want to eat something indulgent without spending a lot of money, incorporate fresh tomatoes when using this recipe. You’ll be happy you did! As always, let me know how you personalized this dish in the comments below! Happy cooking and bon appétit!
Spaghetti alla puttanesca
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti ($0.99)
- 28 ounce fresh roma tomatoes (or canned) ($0.00)
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.05)
- 6 anchovy fillets ($0.85)
- 1/2 cup black or kalamata olives pitted and sliced in half ($1.15)
- 2 Tbsp capers drained ($0.38)
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced ($0.09)
- 4 Tbsp olive oil ($0.48)
- fresh parsley finely chopped for garnish ($0.01)
- pinch red pepper flakes ($0.01)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs ($0.60)
- salt and pepper ($0.01)
Instructions
- Prepare all your ingredients.
- If you’re using fresh tomatoes: core the tomatoes then slice in half lengthwise. Place a box grater over a medium-size bowl. Using the large holes on a box grater, hold the tomato half with the skin side against your palm. In a circular motion, very carefully remove flesh until you’re left with only the tomato skin. Discard the skin and, when finished, set the bowl aside.
- Make your stovetop bread crumbs. In a medium nonstick or cast-iron skillet, mix to evenly combine the 1/2 cup panko, 2Tbsp oil, a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Over medium low heat, stir frequently and cook until panko is golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a good pinch of salt. While you’re waiting for the water to boil for the pasta, start making the sauce. In a large pan, heat 2 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add anchovies and garlic. Saute for a few minutes using the back of your spoon to mash the anchovies until it starts to break down. Make sure not to burn the garlic.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and mix together.
- Add the bowl with tomatoes into pan and stir to combine.
- Add the olives, capers and red pepper flakes and combine. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes to thicken sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- When the pot of water starts to boil, add the spaghetti and follow the instructions on the package. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water and set aside. When the pasta is al dente, quickly drain and add to the saucepan. Toss until combined and cook for a few minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add pasta water if needed.
- When ready to serve, garnish with parsley. Top with bread crumbs. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
* Note regarding pricing: The tomatoes used in this recipe are from our garden which is why there is no price listed. The price for the pantry items such as olives takes into account the cost of the amount used for the recipe and not the cost if you had to purchase the entire jar or bottle. ** All prices in US dollars.