puttanesca

Puttanesca, or alla puttanesca, is a pasta sauce from Italian cuisine, typically associated with Naples and the Campania region. It is characterized by a bold combination of pantry ingredients that are simmered together to create a quick, robust sauce. The standard components include tomatoes (usually crushed or chopped), black olives (often Gaeta olives), capers, anchovies, garlic, chili peppers, and olive oil.

The etymology and origin of the name are contested. Puttanesca literally means “in the style of a prostitute,” and several traditional stories link the dish to Neapolitan street vendors or cooks who prepared a flavorful meal quickly from readily available ingredients. There is no single definitive historical record, and the recipe is defined more by its characteristic ingredients and flavor profile than by a fixed origin story.

Preparation typically involves sautéing garlic in olive oil with chili, adding anchovies to dissolve into the oil, then incorporating tomatoes, olives, and capers and simmering briefly to blend the flavors. The sauce is then tossed with cooked pasta, commonly spaghetti or linguine, and finished with fresh parsley. Some variations omit anchovies for a vegetarian version and adjust saltiness with capers and olives. In Italy, the dish is often served without cheese, reflecting its seafood-influenced character, though some households may add grated cheese.