Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Serves 4
- 400 g (14 oz) spaghetti
- 100 g (⅔ cup) pitted black olives (Kalamata), halved
- 2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
- 8 anchovy fillets (fresh or marinated)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 400 g (14 oz) diced tomatoes or canned tomatoes in juice
- a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 chili pepper, thinly sliced, or chili flakes (to taste)
- black pepper
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, following the package instructions. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water.
Making the sauce
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and the chopped chili (if using), and sauté the chopped garlic for a few minutes without letting it brown. Add the fresh or canned diced tomatoes, crushing them lightly with a spoon. Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes.
Stir in the chopped olives and the capers, and let the sauce cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the whole anchovies: just before tossing the pasta with the sauce, gently lay the whole anchovy fillets on top of the sauce and let them warm through without stirring or breaking them (if you are using marinated anchovies you can mash them with a wooden spoon, but with fresh anchovies I like to keep the fillets distinct).
Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Gently toss the pasta with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved cooking water. Use tongs to toss evenly and let the spaghetti soak up the sauce.
Serve the pasta right away, with the sauce, spreading the olives, capers and anchovies over the top. Add a drizzle of olive oil and garnish with fresh parsley and chili flakes, if you like.