The name is Neapolitan slang from the mid-twentieth century, and the origin stories are all apocryphal. What is certain is the logic of the dish: it is a pantry recipe. Anchovies, capers, olives, tomatoes. Ingredients that keep for months and arrive with all the flavor they need.
The anchovies dissolve completely in the hot oil. Most people who would never eat a straight anchovy have no idea they are eating one here. The taste they leave behind is not fishy. It is savory in the way that makes you want more without knowing why.
We add a few pieces of our sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce alongside the canned tomatoes. They bring a concentrated, jammy depth that the fresh-packed tomatoes alone do not have.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. The sauce carries plenty of salt from the anchovies and capers.
Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves whole and the dried chili if using. Cook until golden, 2 minutes. Add the anchovy fillets. Stir with a wooden spoon until the anchovies dissolve completely into the oil, 2 minutes.
Add the capers and olives. Stir for 1 minute.
Crush the canned tomatoes into the pan with your hands. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes if using. Simmer uncovered over medium heat until the sauce thickens, 12 to 15 minutes.
Cook the spaghetti for 9 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Transfer to the sauce. Toss 1 minute over medium heat, adding pasta water as needed.
Add the parsley. Toss once. Serve immediately.
You made Spaghetti alla Puttanesca. Time to eat.
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The anchovies need to dissolve fully before anything else goes into the pan. Give them two minutes in the hot oil, stirring with a wooden spoon, until they have completely broken down. If you add the tomatoes too early, the anchovy flavor stays sharp and fishier than it should be.
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