1. Start boiling the water.
Fill a large pot with water, salt it generously (it should taste like the sea), and bring it to a boil. This gives you time to make the sauce while the pasta cooks.

2. Sauté the garlic and chili flakes.
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the thinly sliced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1–2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned. (Burnt garlic = bitter garlic. Keep it golden.)

3. Add the anchovies and melt them down.
Drop in the chopped anchovy fillets and stir them into the oil. They’ll dissolve into a savory base — no fishiness, just deep umami flavor. Trust the process!

4. Add the capers and olives.
Stir in the drained capers and chopped olives. Let them sizzle for a minute to bloom their briny punchiness. This is the salty, tangy backbone of the dish.

5. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce to a simmer. Let it bubble gently for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The flavors will deepen and thicken.

6. Cook your pasta.
While the sauce simmers, cook your pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water before draining — it’s liquid gold for sauce blending.

7. Toss it all together.
Add the drained pasta to the sauce, splash in a bit of reserved pasta water if needed, and toss everything together over low heat until glossy and well combined.

8. Taste and adjust.
Need more salt? A squeeze of lemon? A little black pepper? Taste and tweak to your liking. Garnish with chopped parsley or a few extra olives if you’re feeling fancy.