Penne Arrabbiata
This robust, zesty pasta is easy to make and comes together in 30 minutes. No wonder it’s a favorite midnight snack for hungry Italian youth. But it’s just as delicious for dinner. Make it tonight to add a little spice to your everyday dinner routine.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 to 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, (or to taste)
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, hand-crushed or coarsely chopped, plus the juice from the can
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 pound penne pasta
- Freshly grated Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Put a pot of water on to boil. Fill a large pot 2/3 full and set it over medium-high heat. When it comes to a boil, add a generous pinch of salt.
- Make the sauce. While the water is heating, add the olive oil to a large sauté pan. Drop in the garlic cloves and heat on medium-low. Cook, pressing down on the garlic cloves to release their flavor, for about 3 minutes, until you can smell their aroma. Don’t let the garlic brown. Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and stir to coat them with the oil.
- Add the tomatoes and cook. Carefully pour in the tomatoes and their juice. Watch out for spatters! Season with the salt and stir well to mix everything together. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the tomatoes to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook at a gentle simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is nicely thickened, and the oil has begun to pool at the top. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley.
- Cook the pasta. Drop the penne into the boiling water and stir to prevent them from sticking. Boil until the pasta is very al dente—about a minute less than the recommended cooking time on the pasta package.
- Finish cooking the pasta and sauce together. When the pasta is nearly ready, begin reheating the sauce over low heat. Using a pasta fork, tongs, or a skimmer, transfer the pasta directly from the cooking water into the sauce, allowing some of the starchy pasta water to drip into the sauce. Raise the heat to medium and gently toss the pasta with the sauce for a couple of minutes, until it is al dente and nicely coated. Add a splash of cooking water if necessary to loosen the sauce.
- Serve. Divide the pasta among individual bowls and spoon any leftover sauce from the pan on top of each serving. Garnish each bowl with freshly grated Pecorino or Parmigiano cheese, if you like, and serve.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil used in this recipe.
- You can double the Arrabbiata sauce and freeze half for later. Allow to cool fully, then transfer to sealable containers or jars with a gap at the top to allow it to expand. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in your refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 385.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 62.3g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 10.4g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.7g | Sodium: 392mg | Potassium: 438.5mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 5.2g | Vitamin A: 414.9IU | Vitamin C: 15.9mg | Calcium: 62.9mg | Iron: 2.5mg
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