‘Slut’ spaghetti: why do the Russians – and Nicolas Cage – love it, and what’s the true story behind the dish?

Spaghetti alla puttanesca – aka “prepared the slut way” – is a speciality in Naples and the entire Campania region in southwestern Italy.

Some say the simple dish got its name from prostitutes cooking up an easy, quick and cheap meal with ready ingredients in kitchen drawers in between appointments with clients, with the sole aim of keeping energy levels up and the cash flowing. But that’s not the real story.

Made with capers, anchovies, round sweet tomatoes typical of Naples’ Bay, black olives, chilli pepper and garlic, the recipe of this lewdly named dish was a creation of the 1950s dolce vita summer vibe.

It was invented on the picturesque, volcanic island of Ischia – known for its fishing tradition and its thermal baths – just off Naples’ coast, by an eclectic architect Sandro Petti, who was running then-popular restaurant Rangio Fellone, a hotspot luring VIPs, actors, royals and beautiful ladies in search of romance.

“As with all great dishes of the Italian culinary tradition, Puttanesca was the product of last-minute creativity and improvisation, no planning,” says Michelin-starred chef Pasquale Palamaro, a born-and-bred Ischia islander who cooks sublime recipes at the 5-star hotel Regina Isabella’s deluxe restaurant Indaco.

“That’s what makes Neapolitans great inventors. The dish is made with basic, humble ingredients present in any island household.”

It all happened one late evening when a bunch of starving clients walked into the Rangio Fellone for a quick spaghetti dish – yes, it’s a fad in Italy having pasta at midnight after dinner, ice cream and liqueurs. But given it was really late and all the food was finished, Petti found himself in an awkward position.

He told the clients he had nothing to cook but they insisted, in the typical loud Neapolitan way, and said “just cook us any puttanata, as long as we eat”.