Spaghetti Puttanesca

15 mins | Serves 4

I honestly don’t know how it took me more than 40 years to discover this dish! It has fast become a mid-week regular in our household, proving surprisingly popular with my kids. Whilst the ingredients are simple, the flavour is far from it. This comes down to the all important anchovies!

Anchovies are packed with nutrients including vitamin B3, vitamin B12, selenium, iron and calcium. They are also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory as well as being essential for heart, eye and brain health.

  • Ingredients

    • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

    • 1 onion, chopped

    • 4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

    • 4 anchovy fillets

    • 400g tin of choppped tomatoes

    • 100g pitted kalamata olives

    • 300g wholewheat spaghetti

    To serve:

    • Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

  • Method

    1. Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil over a gentle heat for 6-8 minutes, until softened.

    2. Add the anchovy fillets whole and stir while they dissolve into the onion and garlic mix.

    3. Tip in the tinned tomatoes, olives and capers, stir through and simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes.

    4. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti, retaining some of the water to loosen up the puttanesca sauce, if needed.

    5. Toss the cooked spaghetti through the sauce, scatter with the fresh herbs and serve.