Puttanesca
Serves: 4
![Puttanesca](/uploads/media/720x770/05/6845-pasta.jpg?v=1-0)
Recipe photograph by Maja Smend
Puttanesca
Recipe by Leah Hyslop
This recipe comes from our food director Leah's mum. Leah says: ‘My mum is the queen of fast, delicious pasta dishes. Puttanesca is a classic Italian pasta with tomatoes, olives, capers and anchovies. Her version always included onions and spinach (to sneak extra veg onto our plates, no doubt), chunks of mozzarella and a splash of balsamic vinegar'
Serves: 4
See more recipes
Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
633Kcal
Fat
18gr
Saturates
7gr
Carbs
86gr
Sugars
14gr
Fibre
9gr
Protein
27gr
Salt
2.5gr
![Leah Hyslop](/uploads/media/100x100/03/7423-Leah.jpg?v=1-0)
Leah Hyslop
Leah Hyslop is the former Food Director of Sainsbury's magazine
See more of Leah Hyslop’s recipes
![Leah Hyslop](/uploads/media/100x100/03/7423-Leah.jpg?v=1-0)
Leah Hyslop
Leah Hyslop is the former Food Director of Sainsbury's magazine
See more of Leah Hyslop’s recipes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 1-2 garlic cloves, finely sliced or chopped
- 1 fresh or dried chilli, finely chopped (deseeded, if you wish)
- 1 x 50g tin anchovies in olive oil
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp pitted black olives, chopped or left whole
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- a splash of balsamic vinegar
- 400g dried spaghetti
- 1 x 200g bag baby leaf spinach
- 1 x 28g pack fresh basil, roughly torn
- 1 x 150g ball mozzarella, drained and roughly chopped
Step by step
Get ahead
Cook to the end of step 2 up to 24 hrs ahead and chill, or freeze.
- Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large, deep frying pan with a lid, then add the onions, garlic, chilli and anchovies (including the oil, if you like). Fry, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until soft.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and purée and bring to a simmer. Stir in the olives, capers and a splash of vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with the lid, turn down the heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes, topping up with a little water if needed.
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the pasta water in case your sauce is too thick.
- Add the spinach to the sauce and cook until just wilted. Stir in the pasta, the basil and a splash of the reserved pasta water, if needed.
- Quickly mix in the mozzarella so that it just starts to melt, then serve.