Pasta all’Arrabbiata
My husband and I “celebrated” (actually, I just now remembered) our nine-month anniversary last week. Matt and I have officially been together for four-and-a-half years, and periodically, I notice new ways that his presence rubs off on me. The latest?
I like spicy food now!
If you know me, this is a big deal. My mom can tolerate a bit of heat, but my dad famously cried on a first date with her because he ate a jalapeño. I unfortunately inherited his vanilla palette, but Matt has been working hard to change that. Little by little, I’ve added more chili flakes to our dinners or a dash of sriracha-based hot sauces to lunch bowls in an effort to raise my tolerance.
This weekend was the ultimate test, as I made a simple, spicy dish of pasta all’arrabbiata for dinner. Arrabbiata in Italian means “angry,” and the classic first course involves a hot, tomato-based sauce and pasta, often penne. After a long day of yard work in the sweltering Virginia summer, Matt and I wanted a quick dish that gave us a chance to use a handful of the basil we’ve been growing in our backyard herb garden, not to mention some beautiful, locally-grown tomatoes.
I must confess that, lately, I’ve been so focused on TikTok (follow me if you’d like - @mariareginazecca) that I forgot to take a good photo for the blog! Scroll down for a low-quality screen grab.
Pasta all’Arrabbiata
Ingredients:
1 pound pasta (penne or spaghetti, preferably homemade)
8 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
15 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
½ tbsp red chili flakes
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Fresh black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ yellow onion, diced
Directions:
Prepare a pot of salted water for the pasta. Try not to overfill the pot – use just enough to cover your pasta (in order to make the water as starchy as possible).
In a sauté pan, heat two tablespoons of EVOO over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion until soft but not brown, about five minutes. Then add garlic for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add chopped tomatoes, basil leaves, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, stirring until well mixed. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
While simmering, bring the pasta water to a boil and cook pasta as directed. Once al dente and sauce has thickened, add a ladle of starchy water to the sauce and stir. Then add pasta to the sauté pan and mix well.
Serve immediately, adding fresh parmesan if desired.
