Ingredients

Check off ingredients as you go

• for 4 people
• 400g (14 oz) spaghetti
• 100g (3.5 oz) pitted black olives (Greek), halved
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
• 8 anchovy fillets (fresh or marinated)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 400g (14 oz) diced tomatoes or canned tomatoes
• a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 chili pepper, minced, or chili flakes (to taste)
• black pepper

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, reserving one ladle of pasta cooking water.

Preparing the Sauce

2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped chili (if using), and sauté the garlic for a few minutes without letting it brown. Add the fresh or canned diced tomatoes, crushing them slightly with a spoon. Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the chopped olives and capers, and let the sauce cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the whole anchovies: just before mixing the pasta with the sauce, gently arrange the whole anchovy fillets on top of the sauce, letting them warm through without stirring or breaking them (if using marinated anchovies you can mash them with a wooden spoon, but with fresh anchovies I like to keep the fillets distinct).

4. 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 mix evenly and allow the spaghetti to absorb the sauce.

Serve the pasta immediately with the sauce, distributing the olives, capers, and anchovies. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with fresh parsley and chili flakes, if desired.