Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

pasta puttanesca

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Barbara Jones
Hillsborough, NJ

This recipe is easily doubled. Start boiling your water as soon as you start cooking this sauce. "Puttana" means "Lady of the Evening" in Italian. Supposedly the lady cooked this easy meal while she entertained her clients.

(1 rating)
yield 4 -6
prep time 15 Min
cook time 25 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For pasta puttanesca

  • 3 Tbsp
    olive oil
  • 1 lg
    onion, chopped 3/4 in
  • 1 lg
    bell pepper (can use any color)
  • 2 lg
    garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 can
    28 ounce crushed italian tomatoes
  • 1/2 c
    black olives, rough chopped
  • 1/2 c
    green olives w/piemento
  • 1 Tbsp
    capers, to taste (dh dislikes so i omit)
  • 2 Tbsp
    basil, fresh or
  • 3 Tbsp
    basil, dried
  • 1 tsp
    red pepper flakes
  • 1 pinch
    black pepper,
  • 16 oz
    spaghetti
  • 1 tsp
    oregano, dried
  • 1/4 c
    parmesan cheese or romano cheese

How To Make pasta puttanesca

  • 1
    In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil until hot and fragrant. Add onions and turn down to medium. Add fresh peppers and saute for another 5-7 min.
  • 2
    Add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Do NOT brown garlic.
  • 3
    Add dried herbs. Immediately pour in can of crushed tomatoes. Bring to a gentle boil.
  • 4
    Stir in the olives. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes
  • 5
    While the sauce is cooking, prepare pasta according to package directions. Use a nice heavy pasta, at least linguine.
  • 6
    Drain pasta, add sauce, and pass grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
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