Today we’re going to make pasta all’ arrabbiata an Italian spicy tomato sauce pasta.
That’s basically the cousin of the Spaghetti al Pomodoro we already made on the blog, just a little spicier!
This dish is originally from Rome, like many other famous pasta dishes like Cacio e Pepe and Carbonara, to name a few.
What does arrabbiata mean?
Arrabbiata literally means “angry” in Italian; in Romanesco dialect, the adjective arabbiato denotes a characteristic (in this case spiciness) pushed to excess.
Ingredients to make pasta all’arrabbiata:
Dry pasta: Pasta all’arrabbiata Traditionally is made with penne, but you can feel to try a different shape like spaghetti or rigatoni. My favorite brands are De Cecco and Rummo.
Tomatoes: Pick an excellent whole peeled San Marzano tomato. My go-to is always Mutti, an authentic Italian brand GMO and preservatives free.
Extra virgin olive oil: Every Italian dish start with a good extra virgin olive oil. Italian cuisine is so simple and made with few fresh ingredients that if you really want to replicate those flavors that remind you at Bel Paese, consider investing in a good extra virgin olive oil.
Hot chili: Even if dry chili can work, I don’t recommend it for this recipe.
Dry chili, yes, add a little kick that this recipe needs, but they can’t compete with the complexity of flavor that Calabrian chili can apport. You can find whole or crushed Calabrian chili pepper at any Italian store or Amazon.
Garlic: My rule of thumb is one garlic clove for each person, and I like to slice it thinly and make a paste crushing it with the knife blade.
Parsley: Flat leave parsley is bold and aromatic and adds just the touch of freshness you need to contrast the sauce’s spiciness.
How to make pasta all’arrabbiata:
- First, we’re going to slice four garlic cloves very thinly, and, using your knife blade, crush them into a paste.
- Add 2 tbsp of olive oil into a saute’ pan, turn on the heat to low medium and add the garlic paste.
- Let cook for 2/3 minutes or until golden brown, then add the Calabrian finely chopped.
- Next, open the tomato can, place it in a large bowl and start crushing it with your hands. Then add it to the pan.
- Add 1 tbsp of salt and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Grab a large pot, fill it with four quarters of water and add 1 tbsp of kosher salt.
- Once is boiling, add the pasta and let cook until “al dente.”Using kitchen tongs, transfer the pasta directly into the sauce.
- Turn on the stove, add some pasta water to the pan and start stirring and shacking to emulsify the pasta and the sauce. Continue to cook until the pasta is well coated in tomato sauce and looks glossy.
- Turn off the stove, add some chopped fresh parsley, stir again, and serve right away.
- Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some grated pecorino cheese as desired.
FAQ:
Can I use a different kind of canned tomato instead of whole peeled?
Diced tomatoes Are too firm, and sometimes they don’t break down properly when cooking.
Crushed tomatoThere is actually no accurate specification about crushed tomatoes; depending on the brand, they can be chunky or a smooth puré, which makes this option unreliable.
Whole peeled tomato
The advantage is that you can crush or chop the whole tomatoes down to the desired size. They are ideal for making pasta sauce or tomato soup.
Why should i crush the canned tomatoes by hand?
Blend canned tomatoes into a food processor turns them a strange pale orange color due to the tomatoes taking on air in the processor. Besides preserving that red hue, hand crushing gives you a perfect texture, half chunky, half silky,
I can’t find Calabrian chili anywhere; what can use instead?
Calabrian chiles are bright and fruity and have a warming heat rather than an intense burn, but if you can’t find them, you can use a Fresno chili or even red chili flakes.
Is it correct to add sugar to the tomato sauce?
A trick I use in a fancy Italian restaurant is to add a pinch of baking soda. Baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acidity of the tomatoes, while sugar is just going to alternate too much their natural flavor.
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Equipment
- pot
- strainer
- kitchen tongs
Ingredients
- 225 gr dry pasta
- 450 gr canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 Calabrian or fresno chili
- 2 tbsp minced flat leave parsley
- parmesan or pecorino(optional)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt for pasta water
- 2 tsp kosher salt for tomato sauce
Instructions
- First, we're going to slice four garlic cloves very thinly, and, using your knife blade, crush them into a paste.
- Add 2 tbsp of olive oil into a sauté pan, turn on the heat to low medium and add the garlic paste.
- Let cook for 2/3 minutes or until golden brown, then add the Calabrian finely chopped.
- Next, open the tomato can, place it in a large bowl and start crushing it with your hands. Then add it to the pan.
- Add 1 tbsp of salt and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Grab a large pot, fill it with four quarters of water and add 1 tbsp of kosher salt.
- Once is boiling, add the pasta and let cook until "al dente."Using kitchen tongs, transfer the pasta directly into the sauce.
- Turn on the stove, add some pasta water to the pan and start stirring and shacking to emulsify the pasta and the sauce. Continue to cook until the pasta is well coated in tomato sauce and looks glossy.
- Turn off the stove, add some chopped fresh parsley, stir again, and serve right away.
- Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some grated pecorino cheese as desired.
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