This is a belter of a dish, perfect for when you are short on time and in desperate need of some hearty food. The very fact that puttanesca translates literally to 'tart's spaghetti' is enough for this dish to be a winner with me. Ridiculously easy to knock together and a brilliant dish to make when the fridge is bare (as you will have most of the ingredients in your store cupboard), this dish delivers on every level. You can't go wrong with this dish.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 courgette, grated
30g butter
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
150g pitted olives (kalamata and manzanilla)
500g passata (or chopped tinned tomatoes)
10 cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
Small handful of basil, chopped
Small handful parsley, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
300-400g Spaghetti (75-100g per person)
8 Veggie Sausages, halved lengthways (Cauldron are good)
30g panko breadcrumbs
Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Good pinch of sea salt
50g parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
Melt the butter in a large, wide pan, over a medium heat.
Add the courgette and fry for 2 mins until softened.
Add the garlic and chillies and fry for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
Add the passata, olives and cherry tomatoes.
Simmer for 10-12 minutes, the sauce should thicken up (but you should still be able to stir it).
Whilst the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions.
Heat the oil in a frying pan,
Add the panko breadcrumbs and fry for 1 minute over a low to medium heat (they should be light golden brown).
Add the parsley and sea salt and fry for a further minute.
Decant into a bowl until ready to use.
Add 1 tbsp of oil to the frying pan and add the veggie sausages, cut side face down.
Fry for 3 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through.
Remove and set aside until ready to serve (keep them warm).
By now, the spaghetti should be cooked and the sauce should have thickened up nicely.
Season the sauce well with sea salt and black pepper (taste and add more if necessary).
Add the chopped parsley and basil.
Add the cooked spaghetti to the puttanesca sauce along with a 2 tbsp of the pasta water.
Stir well to combine (add a little more pasta water if the sauce is too thick).
Divide the spaghetti between 4 serving bowls.
Arrange the veggie sausages on top.
Sprinkle over a little olive oil and parmesan.
Finally sprinkle over the crispy panko breadcrumb mixture.
Serve immediately.
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