PENNE ARRABBIATA – Angry Pasta!

Think marinara sauce on steroids. Spicy, garlicky marinara sauce with an attitude.

Arrabiata sauce gets its heat from red pepper flakes. This recipe is moderately spicy, but not fire-breathing. Adjust the red pepper flakes to your liking.

And, yes, “arrabbiata” means “angry”. The “angry” from the spicy part. Of course, the garlic helps as well.

A couple of tips…cook the (whole) garlic cloves in the olive oil in very low heat. It’s almost a confit. Let it get a bit brown, but be careful not to burn it as garlic gets extremely bitter when burnt…add a little sugar or honey near the end if your sauce is either too spicy or just bitter. The butter and cream really helps make this version very smooth and elegant…and more tame.

Penne is the pasta of choice for Arrabbiata sauce. The ridges on penne lend well to holding the sauce. Speaking of that, don’t skimp on the sauce when serving. I used 6 ounces of penne in this and it could have taken 8 ounces.

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Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup (5-6 cloves) of garlic, peeled

• 1 (28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes

• 1 tsp crushed fennel seeds

• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 tsp Kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 cup dry red wine

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup cream

• 2 tbsp chopped basil leaves + more for serving

• 2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano

• 6-8 ounces dry penne pasta

• Fresh grated parmesan

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan over low heat, add the olive oil and the whole peeled garlic. Let the garlic cook slowly, stirring, for about 15 minutes. Do not burn. Golden brown is O.K. Remove the garlic to a small bowl.

• Place the tomatoes in a food processor and pulse about 2-3 times to just crush. Add the cooked garlic and pulse 2-3 more times.

• Pour the tomatoes in the same saucepan you cooked the garlic in with the olive oil. Add the fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, red wine, and Romano cheese. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and cover. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Add 2 tbsp cold butter and 1/2 cup cream. Stir in and bring to a simmer. Taste and reseason if necessary. Stir in 2 tbsp of chopped fresh basil.

• Cook the penne just short of al dente, about 13 minutes.

• Using a wire spider, scoop out the cooked pasta into the sauce. Bring to a simmer and let cook about 2-3 minutes to finish cooking the pasta.

• To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with grated parmesan and more chopped fresh pasta.