Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Warm the serving bowls.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the garlic for about 15 seconds until golden.
3. Add the anchovies, capers, olives and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute, until the anchovies dissolve.
4. Add the tomatoes, rinse the can with the water and pour that into the pan as well. Stir in the oregano and pepper, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until a velvety sauce forms. Taste: because of the anchovies, olives and capers it usually needs hardly any salt, and with very sharp tomatoes a pinch of sugar helps.
5. Salt the pasta water, cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions and scoop out a cup of the cooking water before draining.
6. Put the pasta straight into the sauce, add about ¼ cup of pasta water and toss over low heat for 1 minute until the sauce clings to the spaghetti. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil and serve at once.

Drink with it

• Red wine · excellent match

  Sangiovese (Chianti) or Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

  The acidity carries the tomato and anchovy umami, and the medium body and moderate tannins do not turn bitter next to the salt and capers.

  Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing ↗

• White wine · good match

  Verdicchio, Fiano or Greco di Tufo

  Strong acidity and a salty, mineral edge suit capers and anchovies and stand up to the tomato.

• Rosé · good match

  Dry rosato, well chilled

  Fresh acidity and delicate fruit offset the saltiness of olives, capers and anchovies.

• Pale lager · good match

  Helles or pilsner, cold

  Carbonation and mild bitterness rinse the salty, savoury mouth and suit the tomato sauce.

  Pils or Helles: What's the Difference? ↗