Puttanesca Spaghetti - Gault’s Deli Meal Kit
Puttanesca Spaghetti Kit from Gault’s Deli
Feed 8 for just $55!
Kit includes (enough to make 8 serves, or two meals for 4)
70g jar Gault’s Deli capers in sea salt
350g pack Artisan manuka-smoked olives
100g jar Gault’s Deli herb salt
250ml bottle Gault’s Deli extra-virgin olive oil
4 anchovy fillets (store in the fridge)
2 teaspoons chilli flakes*
2 x 400g cans Casa Rinaldi crushed tomatoes
500g packet Fattorie Umbre dried spaghetti
Shopping list (not supplied in kit, to serve 4)
3–4 cloves garlic
1 bunch fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley (or use oregano)
Method
Soak 2 tablespoons salted capers in warm water for 10–20 minutes. Strain off water then roughly chop capers and set aside.
Peel then finely slice garlic and set aside. Finely chop parsley and set aside.
Into a small bowl, drain off about 150g of the olives along with the juice. Using a large knife, press down on each olive then remove pips. Roughly chop olive flesh and return to bowl with juice.
In a large saucepan, combine 2½ litres water and 3 tablespoons herb salt and bring to a rapid boil.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep frying pan add at least ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (enough to cover the base of the pan – don’t skimp). Add garlic then slowly bring heat up to medium, stirring occasionally, until garlic is just sizzling (not so hot that the oil begins to smoke). Add 2 anchovy fillets, stirring and breaking them up with a wooden spoon until dissolved and melted into the garlic oil. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, until garlic just begins to colour.
Add ½ teaspoon chilli flakes along with chopped olives and capers. Stir to combine then immediately add 1 can crushed tomatoes (this will instantly stop garlic and anchovies from over-browning; keep the can). Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally (this should take about 10 minutes).
Whilst puttanesca sauce is simmering, add 250g spaghetti pasta to boiling salted water and stir to keep moving so it doesn’t stick together. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes until not quite al dente (1 minute less than the cooking time on the packet, as it will finish cooking when added to the sauce).
Drain pasta, retaining starchy cooking water. Add drained pasta to puttanesca sauce and stir to combine.
Pour a couple of small ladlesful (about ½ can) of starchy pasta cooking water into empty tomato can. Swirl water around to get the last bits of tomato then pour into pan. Stir to combine then continue cooking pasta in sauce for a further 2 minutes, until al dente (if you’re unsure, pull out a piece of spaghetti and try it – it should still be firm to the bite). Stir in parsley then divide evenly between serving plates, top with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and enjoy!
Simon says…
Ever wondered how much boiling, salted water you need to cook dried pasta? Here’s the rule of thumb: use 1L of water and ¾ tablespoon salt for every 100g pasta. It may sound like a lot of water, but you want enough to allow the pasta to swim uncrowded and so you end up with the perfect concentration of starchy, salty water at the end – which you’ll add to the puttanesca sauce.
Do not put extra-virgin olive oil in your pasta water!
Trust me, the anchovies won’t make the dish taste fishy or salty. They are essential to this recipe, as are the salted capers! They mustn’t be left out.
*There is extra chilli in the kit, if you prefer things spicier.
You can serve this dish with grated parmesan cheese if you prefer (although there is enough salty, umami flavour from the capers and anchovies); increase/decrease/or leave out chilli flakes altogether; you could add ¼ cup white wine to the sauce for a richer flavour; or squeeze a little lemon juice over the top when serving for a zingy finish.