Pasta alla Puttanesca is a delicious main course of the Italian gastronomic tradition, born between Naples and Ischia at the beginning of last century, where it is better known as “aulive e chiapparielli”. It is a quick and easy recipe made with spaghetti, tomato sauce, olives and capers: a few minutes and enjoyment is guaranteed. Perfect for informal dinners with friends, or a quick lunch when you don’t have much time.
Pasta Puttanesca’s Origins
Even if the “official” name is “puttanesca”, in the Neapolitan capital this sauce is mostly called “aulive e chiapparielli” or simply “olives and capers”. The unique flavor of Pasta alla Puttanesca is given by the flavor of the capers and olives from Gaeta or Itri, two cities in the province of Latina. Precisely for this reason in Lazio more than one person appropriates the invention of the recipe. There is no official proof in this regard but there is actually a “Lazio variant” to this dish: the addition of salted anchovies goes beyond the confines of puttanesca. The traditional Neapolitan version includes tomatoes, black olives, capers, garlic and chili pepper if desired; with the addition of salted anchovies we magically find ourselves in the Lazio region even if the name remains unchanged.
However, Latina’s version should only be a variation of the Campania recipe, given by the common origins of the territory (Latina was once in Campania). On the contrary, it is almost certain that the recipe was born in Ischia in the 1950s. The story takes us to a closing restaurant on the Isola Verde which, despite everything, welcomes guests who are friends of the chef. Unfortunately, however, there is very little left in the pantry: a bit of tomato, a few olives, capers ina jar. The chef warns the customers but they calmly reassure him by saying that “any bullshit” is enough and that they have no demands. The chef returns to the kitchen and collects the leftover ingredients: enough to create a sauce that would later enter the history of Italian cuisine.
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