America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Summer Pasta Puttanesca

By Andrew Janjigian

Published on July 30, 2013

Time

55 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Summer Pasta Puttanesca

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon anchovy paste ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes ¼ teaspoon dried oregano 1 ½ pounds grape or cherry tomatoes 1 pound campanelle Salt ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced½ cup minced fresh parsley

Before You Begin

We prefer to make this dish with campanelle, but fusilli and orecchiette also work. Very finely mashed anchovy fillets (rinsed and dried before mashing) can be used instead of anchovy paste. Buy a good-quality black olive, such as kalamata, Gaeta, or Alfonso.

Instructions

  1. Combine oil, garlic, anchovy paste, pepper flakes, and oregano in bowl. Process tomatoes in blender until finely chopped but not pureed, 15 to 45 seconds. Transfer to fine-mesh strainer set in large bowl and let drain for 5 minutes, occasionally pressing gently on solids with rubber spatula to extract liquid (this should yield about 3/4 cup). Reserve tomato liquid in bowl and tomato pulp in strainer.
  2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add campanelle and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain campanelle and return it to pot.
  3. While campanelle is cooking, cook garlic-anchovy mixture in 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato liquid and simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato pulp, olives, and capers; cook until just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in parsley.
  4. Pour sauce over campanelle and toss to combine, adding reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Summer Pasta Puttanesca

Save

Time

55 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ pounds grape or cherry tomatoes
1 pound campanelle
Salt
½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
½ cup minced fresh parsley

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ pounds grape or cherry tomatoes
1 pound campanelle
Salt
½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
½ cup minced fresh parsley

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ pounds grape or cherry tomatoes
1 pound campanelle
Salt
½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
½ cup minced fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

Our version of fresh pasta puttanesca uses grape or cherry tomatoes, which are excellent in summer and among the best variety of tomato available year-round. To retain fresh tomato flavor, we puree and drain them, after which their juices get cooked down briefly, while the pulp is added at the end of cooking.

Before You Begin

We prefer to make this dish with campanelle, but fusilli and orecchiette also work. Very finely mashed anchovy fillets (rinsed and dried before mashing) can be used instead of anchovy paste. Buy a good-quality black olive, such as kalamata, Gaeta, or Alfonso.

Instructions

  1. Combine oil, garlic, anchovy paste, pepper flakes, and oregano in bowl. Process tomatoes in blender until finely chopped but not pureed, 15 to 45 seconds. Transfer to fine-mesh strainer set in large bowl and let drain for 5 minutes, occasionally pressing gently on solids with rubber spatula to extract liquid (this should yield about 3/4 cup). Reserve tomato liquid in bowl and tomato pulp in strainer.
  2. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add campanelle and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain campanelle and return it to pot.
  3. While campanelle is cooking, cook garlic-anchovy mixture in 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato liquid and simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato pulp, olives, and capers; cook until just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in parsley.
  4. Pour sauce over campanelle and toss to combine, adding reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.