What would you do if you discovered your neighbor was a vampire, but nobody believed you?
That’s the premise behind the 1985 Halloween classic, “Fright Night.” In the film, after teen Charley Brewster discovers his neighbor Jerry Dandridge is a vampire, “he frantically nails his bedroom windows shut and hangs crucifixes and garlands of garlic in a desperate attempt to repel the fiend,” write Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin, authors of “The Halloween Movie Cookbook.”
“This sanctifying spaghetti, made with Italian tomatoes, fresh parsley, Kalamata olives, capers — and extra garlic — is fragrant, delectable, and sure to keep all the vampires away,” they write.
Charley’s Garlicky Pasta Puttanesca
Pair with: “Fright Night” (1985)
Yield: Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for the pasta water
1 pound dried spaghetti
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup capers, drained
5 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 anchovy fillets from a can, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
DIRECTIONS
Open the cans of tomatoes, then remove the tomatoes one at a time, gently squeezing them with your hand to remove as much liquid as possible — it’s best to do this over the sink, as it can be messy. Place the squeezed tomatoes into a bowl and set aside. Discard the remaining liquid or save for another use.
Fill a large pot with salted water (about 1 teaspoon salt per quart of water) and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente.
Meanwhile, combine the squeezed tomatoes and the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, add the olives, parsley, capers, garlic, anchovies, the 1 teaspoon of salt, the oregano and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
Once the pasta is done cooking, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the spaghetti and transfer it to the skillet. Toss to combine, and add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water if it appears dry. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve hot. Bone appetit!
Excerpted from “The Halloween Movie Cookbook: 65 Hauntingly Delicious Recipes Inspired by Your Favorite Spooky Movies.” Copyright © 2026, Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin. Photography Copyright © 2026 by Lauren Volo. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.