Courtesy of Executive Chef Jorma Cox, Gusto

This is a very traditional and classic dish of southern Italy. It is a dish of simplicity and requires the best ingredients. We use a very special extra-virgin olive oil for this dish. This may be the most key ingredient since it is one of the most basic.

Serves 4
¾ pound linguine
High-quality extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
Peperoncini (crushed red pepper)
A handful of fresh basil leaves
Two handfuls of Gaeta or kalamata
olives—or both, or neither
Salt
One ladle of tomato sauce

In a pot, boil water for pasta and cook until 2 minutes from being ready. In a medium -hot sauté pan add some oil and the garlic and sauté until brown. After a moment add the peperoncini and some of the basil leaves; let them sizzle a little but do not burn them. Now add the olives and salt and sauté. Add some pasta water (approximately 2 tablespoons) and a ladle of tomato sauce, or however much you like. Add the partially cooked pasta. It is important to be sure to continue sautéing your pasta, so if the pan becomes too dry add a little water to the sauce until the pasta is cooked to al dente. (This is the tricky part, because if you add too much water you may overcook the pasta). Finish the dish by adding some fresh basil and a dash of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and toss well before serving.