Equipment
Ingredients
Crispy Garlic Breadcrumbs (Pangrattato)
- 50 g panko breadcrumbs
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic, minced
- g kosher salt
Pasta & Sauce
- 350 g spaghetti
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 g red pepper flakes
- 30 g tomato paste
- 400 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 80 g kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 30 g capers, drained and rinsed
- 15 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 556 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 83 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 530 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Potassium
- 582 mg
- Calcium
- 88 mg
- Iron
- 5.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 73 mg
- Phosphorus
- 226 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 36 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 22 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 74 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.92 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.42 mg
- Niacin
- 7.3 mg
- Folate
- 229 mcg
- Water
- 43 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F.
In a large skillet, heat 15ml of olive oil over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. In the last minute, stir in the minced garlic and a pinch of salt until the breadcrumbs are deeply golden and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and wipe the skillet clean.
Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook until just shy of al dente, about 1 minute less than package instructions. Reserve 100ml of starchy pasta water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, heat the remaining 45ml of olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, sautéing until the garlic is just fragrant and slightly softened, about 1-2 minutes. Do not let the garlic brown.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen its flavor. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook until they begin to burst and release their juices, creating a rustic sauce.
Stir the chopped olives and capers into the bursting tomatoes. Add the drained, slightly undercooked pasta along with 50ml of the reserved pasta water. Mix vigorously over medium heat until the sauce emulsifies and clings to the pasta.
Remove from heat. Toss through the fresh parsley. Divide into warm bowls, topping each generously with the crispy garlic breadcrumbs immediately before serving to preserve the crunch.
Chef's Notes
- Pangrattato (toasted breadcrumbs) is historically known in Southern Italy as the 'poor man's Parmesan', providing the savory crunch and body of aged cheese for a fraction of the cost.
- Rinsing your capers is essential. They are usually packed in a heavy brine or straight salt. Rinsing them allows their floral, mustard-like flavor to shine without ruining the dish's salt balance.
- If your cherry tomatoes are out of season and lacking sweetness, add a tiny pinch of sugar when you stir in the tomato paste to balance the acidity of the capers and olives.
- Always pull your pasta out of the water slightly before it reaches your ideal doneness. It will continue cooking as it absorbs the sauce in the skillet.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store breadcrumbs separately in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain crispness.
Reheating: Gently reheat pasta in a skillet with a splash of water over medium heat. Top with room-temperature breadcrumbs right before serving.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is watery and pooling at the bottom of the bowl
Cause: Pasta water and oil did not emulsify, or heat was too low during final mixing
Fix: Return to heat, add a splash more starchy pasta water, and stir vigorously for 60 seconds
Prevention: Vigorously toss the pasta with the sauce and starchy water over medium-high heat to force emulsion
Breadcrumbs are soggy
Cause: Breadcrumbs were added too early while the pasta was resting in the pan
Fix: Cannot be fixed once mixed into wet pasta
Prevention: Only garnish with breadcrumbs at the very last second, right as the plates hit the table
Dish is overwhelmingly salty
Cause: Both capers and olives carry high salt content, and extra salt was added to the sauce without tasting
Fix: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top or add a drizzle of unseasoned olive oil to cut the saltiness
Prevention: Rinse capers well before using, and rely purely on the briny ingredients for the dish's salinity without adding raw salt to the sauce
Cultural Context
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca originated in Naples during the mid-20th century. Translated roughly to 'in the style of the working girl', it was historically thrown together quickly using non-perishable pantry staples like olives, capers, canned tomatoes, and anchovies. This vegan interpretation drops the traditional anchovies but heavily leans on umami-rich tomato paste and crispy pangrattato to deliver the same fiercely savory punch that made the original a worldwide classic.
