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Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca reads salinity 6.0, richness 5.1 and umami 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian main, about 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Salinity 6.0 · Richness 5.1 · Umami 5.1 · Marine & Briny 4.5 · Allium 4.0 · Funk & Ferment 3.4 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Fruity 2.3 · Sourness 2.3 · Bitterness 2.0 · Sweetness 1.9 · Heat 1.8 · Earthy 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Nutty 1.2 · Floral 0.9 · Citrus 0.6

What's in it (12)

• thin spaghetti — 340 g
• extra-virgin olive oil — 54 g
• anchovy oil — 14 g
• garlic — 15 g
• red chili flakes — 3 g
• capers — 44 g
• ripe olives — 218 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• salt — 5 g
• freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
• unsalted butter — 27 g
• flat-leaf parsley — 15 g

Time & effort: about 30 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 45.9 kcal, 2.1 g protein, 3.3 g fat, 6 g carbs

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until just shy of al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than the package directs, roughly 9 minutes; reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies and cook, mashing them with a spoon, until they dissolve into the oil, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and just turning golden at the edges, 1-2 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't brown.
4. Stir in the capers and olives; cook until they start to sizzle and smell toasty, about 1 minute.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and deepens to a brick-red color, 12-15 minutes.
6. Add the drained spaghetti directly to the skillet along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss constantly over medium heat until the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce clings to every strand, 2-3 minutes, splashing in more pasta water if the sauce looks tight.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and swirl in the butter until it melts into the sauce and turns glossy, then stir in the parsley. Taste and add more salt if needed.
8. Plate immediately, twirling the spaghetti into bowls and spooning any extra sauce and olives over the top.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Baked Salmon Puttanesca — Italian-American
• Tiella di Riso, Patate e Cozze — Italian · Puglia
• Bacalhau à Brás (Bacalhau à Brás) — Portuguese
• Sicilian Fish Soup — Italian
• Fregola con Arselle e Bottarga — Italian · Sardinia

Keep reading: what salinity, richness, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.