Recipe For Simple And Delicious Spicy Tomato Noodles

Ingredients in Penne all’Arrabbiata

Arrabbiata sauce can be made with either fresh or dried chillies. Dried is obviously more convenient, but I really like the extra flavour fresh chilli brings to the sauce so I’ve used a combination of both. Also, two of my go-to Italian recipe sources both use fresh chillis. 

Feel free to double up on either options!

• Cayenne pepper – The larger the chilli, the less spicy they are! So cayenne peppers are not super spicy. Though, I do like to keep the seeds in for an extra zing of spiciness (the seeds is where most of the spiciness is). Feel free to de-seed if you prefer, or just use dried chillis (see note above photo for why I use fresh and dried).

  Feel brave? Use Birds Eye or Thai chillies instead! They pack more spiciness than cayenne peppers.

• Dried red chillis – These have a warm earthiness that fresh chillis do not. Sauteing with garlic brings out the toasty flavour as well as the spiciness. 

• Pasta type – Traditionally made with penne, though ziti is a direct replacement (it’s penne with a smooth surface). Though really, you can make this with any short or long pasta.

• Canned crushed tomato – To be authentic, use whole peeled tomatoes (canned) and mash them up with a fork. For convenience, I use crushed tomatoes! 

  Sourness note: Not all canned tomatoes are created equal! Economical brands tend to be more sour. Take the edge off with ½ teaspoon of sugar. 

• Garlic – 3 cloves! Arrabiata sauce is meant to have a nice hit of garlic flavour.

• Parmesan – For serving.

• Parsley – For optional garnish.

How to make Arrabbiata Sauce

This simple pasta sauce 15 minutes simmering time to breakdown the tomatoes and make the flavours meld. Don’t shortcut it – you’ll rob yourself of flavour!

1. Finely mince the cayenne pepper with the seeds in. (See note in the ingredients section about seeds and spiciness)

2. Sauté garlic and chilli – Use a pot large enough to toss the pasta with the sauce. Heat the oil over medium heat, then stir the garlic for just 10 seconds. Add cayenne and chilli flakes, then cook for 1 minute, or until garlic is light golden.

3. Simmer – Add tomato, salt and pepper. Rinse out the tomato cans with a bit of water and add that in too. Then simmer the sauce gently for 15 minutes until it thickens. 

4. Save water for sauce – While the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta per packet directions in salted pasta cooking water. Just before draining, give the pot a big stir (to agitate the starch* in the pasta) then scoop out 1 cup of the water. Then drain the pasta.

   * The starch in the pasta cooking water helps the pasta sauce thicken so it clings to the pasta better. 

5. Toss – Add the pasta into the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Toss well (still on the stove) until the sauce coats the pasta and is no longer pooled in the base of the pot. Use extra pasta cooking water if needed, to loosen.

6. Serve – Dinnertime! Divide between bowls and serve immediately with parmesan and parsley, if using.