Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
A thrifty, punchy spaghetti tossed with tinned pilchards, garlic, chilli and black olives. Quick, savoury and far more satisfying than it sounds.
A tin of pilchards turns into something genuinely good here, and dinner is ready in about half an hour. The fish breaks down into a tomato sauce sharpened with garlic, chilli and salty black olives, standing in cheaply for the anchovies you would usually reach for. Tossed through spaghetti and finished with shaved Parmesan, it makes the case that store-cupboard cooking need not feel like a compromise.
Jump to recipe
Prep 10 min
Cook 20 min
Total 30 min
Easy
Scale:
- 300g Spaghetti
- 1 tbls Olive Oil
- 1 finely chopped Onion
- 2 cloves minced Garlic
- 1 Red Chilli
- 1 tbls Tomato Puree
- 425g Pilchards
- 70g Black Olives
- Shaved Parmesan
Preparation
- Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions. While it boils, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and soften the onion, garlic and chilli for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée and let it cook for a minute, then tip in the pilchards along with their sauce. Break the fish up with a wooden spoon as it heats, then add the olives and carry on cooking for a few more minutes.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of its cooking water. Toss everything together thoroughly, divide between plates and finish with a scattering of Parmesan.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Break the pilchards up as they warm through so they dissolve into the sauce and season it from within.
- Hold back a few tablespoons of the pasta water; it loosens the sauce and helps it grip the spaghetti.
- Go gently with the chilli at first and add more once you have tasted; the dish wants warmth, not fire.
- Hold off on salt until the end, since the fish and olives carry a fair amount already.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both work. Tinned sardines behave almost identically, and a couple of anchovy fillets lend the classic puttanesca savouriness. Just go easy on extra salt, as both are salty in their own right.
Tinned pilchards tend to be cheaper and often kinder to fish stocks than many alternatives, so this sits well as a midweek meal that is easy on both the wallet and the sea.
Throw in a spoonful of capers, a scattering of chopped parsley or a few halved cherry tomatoes. The sauce takes happily to additions.
Save this recipe, join ZestyPlate free
- Save your favourite recipes
- Build your own cookbooks
- Track what you've cooked
- New recipes in your inbox
Create free account
Already a member? Log in
Ratings & Reviews
Log in or create an account to rate this recipe.
No reviews yet, be the first to rate this recipe!
Comments (0)
Log in or create an account to join the conversation.
No comments yet, start the conversation!