Food & recipes

Yellow pea recipe: spaghetti alla puttanesca

Looking for an easy way to substitute pasta? Try this rustic Italian recipe with ZENB’s Yellow Pea Pasta

If you’re looking for tasty ways to substitute pasta in your family meals, then be sure to try this gluten-free spaghetti alla puttanesca recipe.

Swap traditional egg pasta for ZENB’s Yellow Pea Pasta which is made using just one single ingredient – you guessed it, the small-but-mighty yellow pea.

Full of fibre and with 17g of protein per serving, the yellow pea pasta is laced with the briney flavours of anchovies, tuna, olives and capers. What’s more, this budget-friendly, satisfying dish can be made in less than 10 minutes.

What is spaghetti alla puttanesca?

Originating in Naples, spaghetti alla puttanesca is an authentic Itialian dish of which variations can be dated back to the mid-20th century.

It’s traditional ingredients are simple but flavourful, including fresh peeled tomatoes, capers, black olives, garlic, oregano and sometimes peperoncino, served mixed through a generous helping of fresh egg pasta.

Why is it called ‘spaghetti alla puttanesca‘?

There are many different tales that explain the name of this dish, however, in 2005 it was printed in an Italian newspaper that the dish sugo alla puttanesca was invented in the 1950s by Sandro Petti, co-owner of Rancio Fellone, a famous Ischian restaurant and nightspot.

According to the writer: “Petti’s moment of inspiration came when, near closing one evening, Petti found a group of customers sitting at one of his tables. He was low on ingredients and told them he did not have enough to make them a meal. They complained that it was late and they were hungry, saying ‘Facci una puttanata qualsiasi,’ meaning ‘throw together whatever’.”

The theory is that the chef, for lack of fresh ingredients, invented this classic dish with a handful of items he had in the pantry.

History of the recipe

This dish first appears with its current name in gastronomic literature in 1960, when according to the Professional Union of Italian Pasta Maker, the sauce had become popular.

However, variations of the dish date back as early as 1844 when Neapolitan aristocrat and cook, Ippolito Cavalcanti included it in his iconic recipe book, calling it Vermicelli all’oglio con olive capperi ed alici salse.

Over the years, the dish has been reinterpreted in different Italian regions, with the Neapolitan variation including anchovies and generous helping of oregano, while in Sicily it can be found made with the addition of green peppers, and in Palermo with raisins.

How to cook spaghetti alla puttanesca

Serves 2
Ingredients:

1 pack ZENB Yellow Pea Spaghetti
1 pack of ZENB Cherry Tomato, Garlic and Basil Gourmet Pasta Sauce
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
60g capers, chopped
60g pitted black olives, chopped
1 can of tuna (140g)
Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
30g grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper
1 lemon

Method:

Step 1: Heat a pan with four tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, add the garlic, anchovy fillets and chilli flakes. Cook through until golden.

Step 2: Add the capers and olives. Fry for another minute and stir to combine.

Step 3: Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the ZENB Spaghetti and cook for approximately five minutes for an al dente texture, or longer as desired.

Step 4: Stir in the ZENB Gourmet Sauce to the garlic and anchovy mix, along with one can of flaked tuna (fork through) and the zest and juice of a lemon.

Step 5: Once cooked, strain the ZENB Spaghetti, but make sure to reserve some pasta water. Stir in the spaghetti and 100ml of pasta water to the sauce mix.

Step 6: Add chopped parsley, Parmesan cheese, half a tsp black pepper and heat through for three minutes.

Step 7: Serve and top with extra Parmesan cheese.

How to make a vegan spaghetti alla puttanesca

A traditionally simple recipe, vegan and vegetarian variations of spaghetti alla puttanesca can be easily achieved.

Swap the egg pasta for zucchini noodles or ZENB’s Yellow Pea Pasta, to add protein and make the dish gluten-free.

Instead of using traditional ingreidients such as anchovies, you can achieve the dish’s distinct salty flavour from the juice of capers and Kalamata olive brine.

Here is an alternative list of ingredients to make a vegan variation of spaghetti alla puttanesca:

350g ZENB Yellow Pea Spaghetti
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
400g tin cherry tomatoes
4 tbsp small black olives, such kalamata, plus additional brine
4 tbsp medium capers, plus a few tbsp of brine
1 tsp dried oregano
Dried chilli flakes to taste
2 tbsp torn fresh flatleaf parsley to garnish
Vegetarian Parmesan shavings to serve (optional)

What to eat with spaghetti alla puttanesca?

Spaghetti alla puttanesca is usually served as a main course for lunch or dinner and is plenty filling enough on its own.

When hosting, however, it can be nice to serve with a side of fresh, peppery salad. The flavours go well with rocket, onion, tomatoes and olive oil. You might also want to serve with baked garlic ciabatta, perfect for tearing and dipping into the rich tomato sauce.

What to drink with spaghetti alla puttanesca?

As an Italian dish with a punchy, tomato base, a southern Italian red wine would be the perfect pairing, according to Fiona Beckett’s Matching Food to Wine website.

To pair wine with spaghetti alla puttanesca, she recommends:

Sicilian and southern Italian reds such as nero d’avola, negroamara and primitivo
Inexpensive zinfandel (you don’t want one that’s too extracted or high in alcohol with this punchy pasta sauce)
Barbera – from Northern Italy or elsewhere – always a good wine with a rustic dish
Ripe and supple Portuguese reds from the Alentejo
If you prefer a white wine, try a crisp southern Italian white such as falanghina or greco

When is best to enjoy spaghetti alla puttanesca?

The beauty of this dish is that it can be made from ingredients already in your cupboard. This makes spaghetti alla puttanesca a year-round dish that isn’t dependant on seasonal ingredients.

If you wanted to add freshness to the dish, responsibily-caught fish would be a great addition. In the UK, fresh anchovies are in season from April to November.

How to store spaghetti alla puttanesca?

Leftovers of your spaghetti alla puttanesca dish can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

You can also freeze spaghetti alla puttanesca for up to three months. When you wish to serve it again, simply thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in a saucepan or microwave, ensuring the food has heated all the way through.

Final thoughts

This simple and delicious Italian dish has been enjoyed for decades and despite its many transformations and re-interpretations, the dish is still an Italian classic.

Budget-friendly, easy to make and with most of the ingredients already in your kitchen cupboard, this rustic meal is sure to become a family favourite in your home.

Another easy way to add more protein and make the dish gluten-free, is to use yellow pea pasta. For more recipe inspiration and to shop online, visit the website or search “yellow pea pasta”.