Vegan Puttanesca Sauce

Italian cuisine really lends itself well to an animal-product free diet. The only traditional ingredient that gets left out here are the anchovies which we can make up for with other briney flavours! I created this recipe with the entire Mediterranean in mind. Italy, Greece, North Africa will all be represented with their unique flavour profiles. Za'atar seasoning originally comes from Arab cuisine and is comprised of thyme, toasted sesame seeds, and ground sumac berries, which grow in the Mediterranean and parts of the Middle East, and have a tart, fruity flavour. The mix also includes all the classic 'Italian' herbs; oregano, marjoram, and savory. The herbs and spices play off the heat of the chili to give a nice biting warmth to this sauce. Za'atar is my favourite spice mix at the moment! Serve with your favourite pasta and top with flat leaf parsley, vegan Parmesan, or the real cheesy deal itself (dairy oh my!)!

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 3 cups sauce

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons  virgin olive oil
• 3  shallots, diced
• 5  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  habanero chili pepper, finely diced
• 4  tomatoes, vine ripened
•  splash red wine
• 1 (15 ounce) can plum tomatoes, drained
• 1⁄2 cup  oil packed kalamata olive
• 2  tablespoons capers
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  salt free za'atar spice mix
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons sea salt
•  fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Smash olives with the flat side of a chefs knife on a cutting board. This will loosen the pit for easy removal.
2. Roughly chop pitted olives and capers, set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil at medium, until a reflection of light shimmers on the surface of a cast iron pan.
4. Add diced shallots and stir/cook until they are translucent.
5. Add garlic and chili and stir until the garlic is toasted.
6. Chop the fresh tomatoes into quarters and add to the hot pan.
7. Add a splash of red wine.
8. Put the remaining ingredients in the pan and stir.
9. Simmer and stir without a lid on medium heat until the sauce thickens.