Penne all Arrabbiata
Penne all Arrabbiata - which could be translated as "rabid penne" - is a simple dish of penne served in a tomato sauce spiced with red pepper. It's one of Rome's traditional pastas and what makes it distinct is its slight spiciness. Cooking it with two red peppers, according to the original recipe, didn't actually produce any spiciness at all - so I added red pepper flakes for a perfect touch of spiciness.
You can serve the sauce with whichever pasta you want, though penne rigate is most traditional as the ridges in he pasta help hold onto the light sauce. The key is using quality ingredients. The Pecorino cheese is not strictly necessary, and it can be left out to make this dish appropriate for vegans. In all, I thought it was just OK, but others in my household liked it.
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Penne all Arrabbiata
Ingredients for four portions
- 1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 dried red chilies, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped (divided)
- salt to taste
- 12 oz penne pasta
- Pecorino Romano, grated, to taste (optional)
Directions
Using your hand, crush the tomatoes, return to their sauce and set aside.
On a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and chilies or red pepper flakes and cook for a minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes with sauce. Once they start boiling, add a handful of chopped parsley. Cook for 15 minutes. Stir in a little bit of pasta water and season with salt to taste.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the penne pasta and cook for 5 minutes less than the pasta package calls for. Drain the penne, reserving a cup of the pasta water, and transfer it to the saute pan with the sauce. Stir in 1/4 cup of pasta water and cook for another 5 minutes - adding more pasta water if necessary. Add the rest of the chopped parsley and serve with optional grated Pecorino Romano on the side.
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Adapted from Simona Mirto's recipe at Tavolartegusto
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