Zesty Puttanesca Recipe: The Bold Italian Classic You’ll Love

Crafting an authentic puttanesca recipe brings bold Mediterranean flavors straight to your kitchen.

Salt-packed anchovies and briny capers create a remarkable depth in this classic Italian dish.

Tangy tomatoes dance with sharp garlic notes, promising an intense culinary experience.

Naples inspired this gutsy sauce that celebrates simplicity and robust ingredients.

Mediterranean kitchens have long embraced these powerful flavor combinations that speak directly to passionate cooks.

Each ingredient tells a story of coastal traditions and rustic cooking techniques.

Whip up this zesty sauce and let your taste buds travel to southern Italy’s sun-drenched landscapes.

What Goes Into Delia Smith Puttanesca

• Crushed Tomatoes: The hearty base that provides rich, tangy flavor to the sauce.
• Tomato Paste: Adds depth and concentrated tomato essence to the puttanesca.
• Anchovies: Brings a savory, umami-rich element to the sauce.

• Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes: Provides a spicy and pungent foundation for the sauce.
• Basil, Capers, Olives: Contribute bold, briny, and herbaceous notes that define the classic puttanesca flavor profile.
• Sugar: Balances the acidity of the tomatoes and enhances overall taste.

• Olive Oil: Creates the initial cooking base and helps develop flavors.
• Salt, Black Pepper: Seasons and elevates the final taste of the sauce.

How To Make Delia Smith Puttanesca Step By Step

Step 1: Warm Up The Cooking Pan

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it starts to shimmer and becomes fragrant.

Step 2: Sizzle Flavor Boosters

Add minced garlic, chopped anchovies, and red pepper flakes to the hot oil. Sauté these ingredients until they turn golden and release their intense aromas, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Deepen The Tomato Base

Introduce tomato paste into the pan, stirring and cooking for 1 minute to caramelize and intensify its rich flavor.

Step 4: Build The Sauce Foundation

• Crushed tomatoes
• Granulated sugar
• Fresh basil leaves
• Sliced kalamata olives
• Briny capers

Step 5: Simmer And Develop Flavors

Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Let the sauce simmer and thicken, stirring occasionally for approximately 30 minutes until it reaches a rich, concentrated consistency.

Step 6: Final Seasoning

Remove the basil leaves from the sauce. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, adjusting flavors as needed.

Step 7: Serve And Enjoy

Ladle the hot puttanesca sauce generously over your favorite cooked pasta. Garnish with additional fresh basil if desired.

Simple Tips For Delia Smith Puttanesca

• Anchor Anchovy Flavor: Use high-quality anchovy fillets for a rich, complex umami taste that melts perfectly into the sauce.
• Balance Saltiness Smartly: Rinse capers and olives before adding to control salt levels, preventing the sauce from becoming too briny.
• Boost Tomato Depth: Select San Marzano tomatoes for a sweeter, less acidic sauce that enhances overall flavor profile.
• Enhance Herb Freshness: Add fresh basil leaves at the end of cooking to preserve their vibrant aroma and bright green color.
• Slow Simmer Secret: Let sauce develop flavors by maintaining a gentle simmer, which helps ingredients meld together beautifully.

Tasty Variations On Delia Smith Puttanesca

• Mediterranean Veggie Puttanesca: Replace anchovies with roasted eggplant cubes for a vegetarian version that maintains rich, savory flavor.
• Spicy Seafood Upgrade: Add fresh shrimp or white fish during final 10 minutes of simmering for protein-packed ocean-inspired sauce.
• Low-Carb Zucchini Alternative: Swap traditional pasta with spiralized zucchini noodles to create a lighter, low-carbohydrate meal option.
• Gluten-Free Quick Fix: Use gluten-free pasta or spaghetti squash as base, ensuring sauce remains compatible with dietary restrictions.

What Matches With Delia Smith Puttanesca

• Elevate Flavor Harmony: Pair this zesty puttanesca sauce with a crisp, acidic white wine like Pinot Grigio to cut through the richness and complement the tangy tomato base.
• Protein Power Match: Serve alongside grilled Mediterranean fish such as sea bass or branzino, which will beautifully echo the sauce's salty, briny Mediterranean profile.
• Texture Contrast Companion: Top with crumbled feta cheese or grated pecorino romano to add a creamy, salty dimension that balances the sauce's intense, robust flavors.
• Bread Pairing Perfection: Include crusty sourdough or rustic Italian bread to soak up the luxurious sauce and provide a delightful textural counterpoint to the pasta's smoothness.

How To Store Delia Smith Puttanesca Correctly

• Store leftover puttanesca sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Cool completely before sealing to prevent bacterial growth.
• Transfer sauce to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, removing excess air. Freeze for up to 3 months, maintaining best flavor and texture.
• Place sauce in a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until thoroughly warmed.
• Warm sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Add a splash of water or broth if sauce seems too thick.

Delia Smith Puttanesca Frequently Asked Questions

• What does 'puttanesca' mean in Italian?

The term originates from the word “prostitute” in Italian, reflecting its bold and spicy flavor profile that was supposedly popular in Naples’ red-light districts.

• Is puttanesca sauce considered authentic Italian cuisine?

Despite its controversial name, puttanesca is a genuine southern Italian sauce, particularly popular in Naples and the Campania region, known for its robust and intense flavors.

• Can I make puttanesca sauce without anchovies?

While anchovies add depth and umami, you can substitute them with a pinch of salt or a splash of soy sauce to maintain the sauce’s complex flavor if you’re vegetarian or don’t enjoy fish.

Why Delia Smith Puttanesca Is Packed With Flavor

• Savor Bold Flavors: This puttanesca sauce delivers a punch of intense Mediterranean tastes with anchovies, capers, and olives creating a robust flavor profile that excites the palate.
• Quick Kitchen Magic: Prepare this sauce in just a few simple steps, making it perfect for busy home cooks who want a delicious meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
• Pantry-Friendly Recipe: Most ingredients are common staples you likely already have on hand, allowing you to create a restaurant-quality sauce without a special grocery trip.
• Crowd-Pleasing Comfort: The rich, tangy sauce appeals to both adults and kids, making it an ideal choice for family dinners or casual gatherings with friends.

Puttanesca Recipe

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4.6 from 9 reviews

• Total Time: 36 min
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Saucy Italian Puttanesca brings bold Mediterranean flavors dancing across your plate with tangy olives, capers, and rich tomato sauce. Spicy, quick, and irresistible, you’ll savor this classic pasta dish that delivers intense coastal Italian cuisine in minutes.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 1 (28-ounces / 800 grams) can whole peeled Italian tomatoes
• 6 anchovy fillets
• 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained

Aromatics and Seasonings:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 basil sprigs
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Pinch of sugar

Finishing Seasonings:

• Kosher salt, to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it gently ripples.
2. Introduce minced garlic, finely chopped anchovies, and crushed red pepper flakes, sautéing until ingredients turn fragrant and develop a light golden hue, approximately 3-4 minutes.
3. Incorporate tomato paste, stirring constantly and allowing it to caramelize and intensify flavors for about 60 seconds.
4. Pour in crushed tomatoes, sprinkle granulated sugar, and add torn fresh basil leaves, kalamata olives, and briny capers.
5. Elevate heat to generate a robust boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer, allowing sauce to slowly concentrate and develop deep flavors for 25-35 minutes.
6. Discard wilted basil leaves, then meticulously season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to enhance the sauce’s complexity.
7. Ladle the vibrant, aromatic sauce generously over al dente pasta, ensuring each strand is luxuriously coated with the rich, zesty mixture.

Notes

• Anchovy Tip: Mash anchovies completely to distribute rich, savory flavor evenly throughout the sauce without leaving large fish chunks.
• Garlic Caution: Watch carefully while sautéing to prevent burning, which can create bitter undertones in the sauce.
• Salt Management: Taste before adding extra salt since anchovies and capers already contribute significant saltiness to the dish.
• Texture Enhancement: Let sauce simmer longer for deeper flavor development and slightly thicker consistency, which helps sauce cling better to pasta.

• Prep Time: 0 minutes
• Cook Time: 36 min
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 132 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 530 mg
• Fat: 11 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8.9 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 6 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 7 mg