Spaghetti with No-Cook Puttanesca

A bright, summertime pasta sauce packed with in-season tomatoes and briny olives.

4 servings

Tomato seeds and membranes can be a bit bitter, which is why we remove them from this uncooked preparation—it also prevents the sauce from being watery.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 beefsteak tomatoes (about 1 lb.), halved crosswise, seeds removed
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
• 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup Castelvetrano olives, crushed, pits removed
• 2 Tbsp. drained capers
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 12 oz. spaghetti
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
   
  RECIPE PREPARATION 

1. Pulse beefsteak tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 2 tsp. salt in a food processor until smooth; transfer sauce to a large bowl and mix in cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and ¼ cup oil.
2. Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid.
3. Add pasta, parsley, and butter to sauce. Toss vigorously with tongs, adding a splash of pasta cooking liquid or more as needed to create an emulsified sauce that coats pasta. Divide among bowls and drizzle with more oil.