Pilchard puttanesca

Name: Pilchard puttanesca
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300g Spaghetti; 1 tbls Olive Oil; 1 finely chopped Onion; 2 cloves minced Garlic; 1 Red Chilli; 1 tbls Tomato Puree; 425g Pilchards; 70g Black Olives; Shaved Parmesan

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Serves 4 492 kcal per serving Prep 10 min Cook 15 min

Ingredients

300g Spaghetti
1 tbls Olive Oil
1 finely chopped Onion
2 cloves minced Garlic
1 Red Chilli
1 tbls Tomato Puree
425g Pilchards
70g Black Olives
Shaved Parmesan

Instructions

Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of well-salted water until al dente, following the packet instructions. Reserve a little of the cooking water, then drain.
Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, garlic and red chilli and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened and fragrant.
Stir in the tomato purée and cook for about 1 minute. Add the pilchards with their sauce, gently breaking the fish into large pieces, and let the sauce simmer briefly.
Add the sliced black olives and cook for a further couple of minutes until heated through.
Add the drained spaghetti to the pan along with 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and toss well to coat.
Divide between plates and serve immediately, topped with shaved Parmesan.

Tips

Use canned pilchards in tomato sauce as a budget-friendly and flavorful alternative to tuna or expensive white fish.
Don’t hold back on the ‘punchy’ ingredients; the combination of olives, capers, and garlic is what makes it a puttanesca.
Add the pilchards at the very end and stir gently to keep some larger chunks of fish intact.

Variations

Extra Spicy: Add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or a chopped fresh red chili.
With Anchovies: Dissolve a few anchovy fillets in the oil at the start for an extra salty, umami depth.