Arrabbiata has an angry name and a sauce that arrives with real heat. Ridged penne traps tomato and chilli in every hollow, keeping the dish lively to the final bite.
Method, step by step
- Preparation: prepare all the ingredients, grate the cheeses, chop the necessary ingredients, and set aside a large mug for the pasta's starchy cooking water. With Italian pasta, it is important to have everything at hand due to the quick assembly.
- Heat the olive oil, add the thinly sliced garlic and the crushed chili. Just smell it on a low flame.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, salt and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Cook the penne in plenty of salted water until al dente and set aside with a cup of the cooking water.
- Roll the pasta in the sauce, then mix with a little cooking water for a minute so that the sauce covers the ribbed penne.
- Serve with chopped parsley and a little olive oil.
- Finishing and serving: serve the pasta immediately on a preheated plate. Before serving, check the consistency of the sauce; if it's too thick, loosen it with a little cooking water, if it's too thin, work it together with short, vigorous stirring.
Practical tips and common mistakes
- Do not brown the garlic; sweet when toasted until fragrant, the whole sauce becomes bitter when burnt.
- Cook the pasta until al dente, because it softens even more in the sauce.
- Grate the cheese finely and add it in several portions so that it melts smoothly.
- Serve fresh: these sauces thicken quickly as they stand.
