The reason I’m calling this a vegetarian Spaghetti Alla Putanesca is because the original recipe calls for anchovy fillets and I haven’t used any! Come to think of it, I actually have consciously avoided any recipe that calls for the use of anchovy. I love fish, I really do.. But in the form of canned fillets which remind me of cat food by the way… I have avoided them. I’ll let you know when I pick up the nerve to try some, but till then this recipe will be what it is. It’s a really simple, tasty and speedy dish by the way, so don’t hesitate to try it.
Spaghetti Alla Putanesca (sans anchovies)
Cooking time: 35 mins
Serves: 4
What you need:
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1/2 cup Black olives (pitted and chopped)
1 Tbsp Capers, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp Capers, drained and rinsed
1 kg tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Pinch of Cayenne pepper/ chilli powder
1 dried Red Chilli, torn into pieces
1 dried Red Chilli, torn into pieces
Salt
400 gms dried Spaghetti
2 Tbsp chopped fresh Parsley to garnish
What to do:
Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet. Add the garlic and cook over low heat stirring frequently for about 2 mins. Add the tomatoes and mash them with a fork. Sauté for a few minutes. Add the olives,chilli and capers and season to taste with the salt and cayenne pepper. Cover and let simmer for 25 mins. Meanwhile bring a large heavy bottomed pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8-10 mins. Drain and transfer to a serving dish. Spoon the sauce into the dish and toss to coat the spaghetti. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately. Simple!
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