Spaghetti alla puttanesca
(Aulive e chiappariell)
A classic Neapolitan entrée locally known simply as aulive e chiappariell (lit. olives and capers), spaghetti alla puttanesca is a southern Italian pasta dish, often accompanied by wildly inappropriate and mostly inaccurate theories on the origin and meaning of its name.
While the Italian word puttana literally translates to prostitute and many people believe that this pasta dish was created at the beginning of 20th century in the brothels of Naples to be served to guests after their tiring sexual encounters, in colloquial Italian, the word puttanata is used to describe something worthless or good-for-nothing, reflecting the fact that puttanesca is so quick and easy to make, using simple and humble ingredients and often even leftovers.
Moreover, this dish falls into the so-called spaghettata category, which refers to a quick meal, usually–but not necessarily–made with spaghetti, and put together at the last minute for unexpected guests. In fact, spaghetti alla puttanesca is said to have been invented in the 1950s by Sandro Petti, then a co-owner of Rancio Fellone, a famous Ischian restaurant and nightspot. Read more
Petti claims he came up with this down-and-dirty recipe one night when his friends showed up after closing time, asking him to make "una puttanata qualsiasi," meaning anything he could whip up with the little he had left in the pantry. He then cooked some spaghetti and tossed them with the zesty garlic and oregano flavored sauce made with tomatoes, olive oil, black Gaeta olives, and capers.
The dish was allegedly received so well that Petti later decided to add it to the restaurant menu, naming it puttanesca in memory of that night. Today, spaghetti alla puttanesca is a dish that is commonly found not only in Naples and throughout Campania, but also in the neighboring Lazio region, where puttanesca sauce is made with the addition of salted anchovies and sometimes even chili peppers.
With all these tangy ingredients, spaghetti alla puttanesca packs quite an aromatic punch, making southern Italian reds such as Nero d’Avola, Negroamara and Primitivo the perfect accompaniments to this flavorful pasta dish.
