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An authentic puttanesca pasta is made using anchovies. And, I won't lie, it's delicious. I do love that salty-fishy rich flavor, but at the same time I wondered if it could it be made without anchovies. The answer: You bet!

I've kept the recipe authentic, using traditional puttanesca ingredients -- olive oil, tomatoes, chili flakes, olives, capers and parsley -- but instead of anchovies, I've swapped them for sliced sun-dried tomatoes, another umami packed ingredient.

I just want to add here that 10 years ago you couldn't pay me to eat, let alone enjoy any of those aforementioned ingredients. But not anymore, I am in love. I find it so cool how your palate changes the more you expose it to different flavors. This doesn't happen overnight, so keep trying new things!

The best advice I can give when making a recipe with so few ingredients, like this one, is to splurge a little and use the highest quality ingredients you can afford: the best pasta, tomatoes, olives, etc.

I've tested this recipe with both green and black olives -- both taste awesome. What doesn't taste awesome is sliced olives out of a can; save those dry little rings for nachos. For this sauce you want big, buttery olives, preferably unpitted. Unpitted olives not only taste better but they are so easy to pit.

This sauce is very rich, packed with salty, savory flavors, so it pairs well with something bitter. Think green -- arugula salad, sauteed rapini, steamed broccoli, shaved Brussels sprout salad. Basically anything green will act as a palate cleanser and cut through the richness of the sauce; and greens are good for you.

I like linguine pasta for this recipe because the sauce coats the noodles so well. And don't be shy with the olive oil either. If you're worried about calories, eat less pasta and have a bigger portion of greens on the side. The olive oil adds flavor and richness, making the sauce slippery on your lips.

Puttanesca Pasta

Serves 2

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