Easy Arrabiata recipe
Literally translating to "angry" - Arrabiata is a fiery Italian pasta starring an intensely-rich tomato sauce layered with heat.
Ingredients
- 200 gm pasta of your choice
- olive oil
- ½ onion, finely diced
- 4-5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1-2 fresh red chillies, finely chopped
- 2-3 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 tin whole peeled tomatoes (400 gm) , preferably San Marzano tomatoes
- Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 1-2 tsp dried oregano, (optional)
- pinch of sugar (optional)
- fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
- freshly-grated Parmesan, to serve
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in generously salted boiling water until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1–2 cups of the pasta water before draining.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan and sauté the onion until softened. Add the garlic, fresh chillies and chilli flakes and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook (covered) until juicy and blistered.
- Pour in the tinned tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon. Rinse the empty tin with a splash of reserved pasta water and add it to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Season with salt, pepper, oregano and a pinch of sugar (depending on whether you need a touch of sweetness to balance the acidity). Taste to adjust seasonings.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until well coated. Stir through the basil, adding more pasta water if needed.
- Serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan and DIVE IN!
Notes
Reserve plenty of pasta water before draining — it's the key to creating a silky sauce that clings beautifully to the pasta. Adjust the chilli to suit your preferred spice level.