Penne Arrabbiata

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4 Servings

At its core this classic Roman dish could not be more simple — pasta with a spicy tomato sauce — but it’s a quintessential example of a dish that evolves over the course of its short cooking time into more than just what you put in the pot. And what you put in the pot is open to some interpretation. Arrabiatta sauce can be made with many different kinds of peppers. In my research when developing this recipe, I came across recipes that called for whole dried peppers, fresh chile peppers of all types, and chopped Calabrian chiles (a personal favorite of mine). In order to make this recipe as pantry-friendly as possible, I opted for a spice present in many cabinets: red pepper flakes. You should feel free to choose your own adventure here and add your favorite spicy pepper to the sauce if you like. Who am I to tell you how to put the “angry” in your arrabiata?

Ingredients

1 pound dried penne pasta
2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dried, and minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces), plus more for serving
1/2 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 pound dried penne pasta and 2 tablespoons kosher salt, and cook according to the package directions until just al dente. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
Heat 1/3 cup olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 minced anchovy fillets, and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the garlic just begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer until the pasta is ready.
When the pasta is ready, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain. Stir the pasta and 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese into the sauce. Cook, tossing constantly, until the sauce is thickened and coats the pasta well. Add more pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce if needed. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Garnish with 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves and serve with more Parmesan cheese if desired.