“Without the chilli, it’s just another boring tomato pasta. With the chilli, it’s something else!” – Nagi Maehashi from RecipeTin Eats, on Penne all’Arrabbiata, as quoted in today’s recipe video. 😂
Penne all’Arrabbiata
So, I am not sure that one line summary of today’s recipe will go anywhere beyond my little corner of the internet. But that is my articulate description of the greatness that is Penne all’Arrabbiata! Simple made interesting with a good kick of chilli and healthy dose of garlic. The Italians know a thing or two about making simple pastas great!
By way of background, “Arrabbiata” means “angry” in Italian. So this pasta is said to be named as such in reference to its fiery nature!
But fear not. Yes, this is a pasta that is meant to be spicy. But it’s fundamentally a great tomato pasta that you can make as spicy as you’d like. Or not. It’s easy to adjust – just make the sauce with less chilli to start with. Taste it during the simmer time. Add more if you’re feeling bold!
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!
Finely mince the cayenne pepper with the seeds in. (See note in the ingredients section about seeds and spiciness)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Serve – Dinnertime! Divide between bowls and serve immediately with parmesan and parsley, if using.
Oh the possibilities!
I’ve kept today’s recipe traditional with no add-ins, delicious as is.
But this recipe is an excellent blank canvas for add-ins of choice. Think – cooked shredded chicken, ham bits, olives (puttanesca-ish!), artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, other leftover cooked vegetables (or sauté from raw). Drop in some raw prawns/shrimp for the last few minutes cook time or some pieces of fish.
As with all pasta recipes, be sure to have everyone lined up ready to eat as you’re dishing it out so it’s at its slick, juicy, sauciness best. Pass freshly grated parmesan at the table, and top it with a pinch of parsley if you’re feeling fancy.
Enjoy! – Nagi
Watch how to make it
Made Arrabbiata Sauce – and got a free facial!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Penne all’Arrabbiata (spicy tomato pasta)
Ingredients
- 400g/ 14oz penne or ziti , or other pasta of choice (short or long)
- 1 tbsp cooking / kosher salt , for cooking pasta
Arrabiata sauce:
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 red cayenne pepper chilli , finely chopped (with seeds) (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 800g / 28 oz canned crushed tomato
- 1 1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp white sugar , only if needed (Note 3)
Serving:
- parmesan , finely grated
- 2 tsp finely chopped parsley , optional
Instructions
- Sauté – Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and stir for 10 seconds. Add cayenne and chilli flakes. Cook for 1 minute, or until garlic is light golden.
- Add tomato, salt and pepper. Rinse out the tomato cans with the water and add into the pot.
- Simmer – Turn up the heat to high, stir, then once it comes to a simmer, turn back down to medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes. (Taste check at 10 min – if sour, add the sugar.)
- Cook pasta – Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil with the 1 tablespoon of salt. Add pasta and cook per packet directions.
- Save water – Just before draining, give the pot a big stir (to agitate the starch) then scoop out 1 cup of the water and set aside. (Note 4) Drain pasta.
- Toss – Add pasta into the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Toss well (still on the stove) until the pasta is coated with the pasta sauce. Use extra pasta cooking water if needed, to loosen.
- Serve – Divide between bowls and serve immediately with parmesan and parsley, if using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Nowhere to be seen when I’m sautéing the chilli (the fumes tickle his nose) but he waddles over when it’s done. But – no spicy pasta for Dozer! Can you imagine the mess I’d have to deal with. 😂
Made this tonight. So simple and so tasty. The whole family loved it. . Thanks for the inspiration and free recipe Nagi. What a legend.
Whats the point…..you never respond to the questions or give any feedback……if it doesn’t make you money you don’t seem interested…..congrats…..
Ummm…woah. Where did this come from???
I agree. No replies to questions. And as pointed out by another reader, the photographs are too red/orange. It becomes annoying after looking at so many photos. I bought the recipe book. Also…I do find the new video format hard to follow, distracted by the verbal directions and fast speech pattern.
Hi JayBee! I do the best I can. I’m one person and I get quite a few questions these days, so I can’t get to all of them. Also, I was travelling for work the past 5 days so I wasn’t able to be at my computer very much. Sorry to hear you find my photos annoying! Again, I do the best I can. I’m not a professional photographer. And I do everything myself. Maybe this is not the place for you to look at recipes if you find my photos unpleasant to look at. Plenty of other recipes websites out there for you to use, some using professional photographers! Totally understand and don’t take it personally 🙂 – Nagi x
Before, Nagi always (yes, right, always) answer or replies if I have questions or comments by email, if now she can’t, that I can understand because of the full scheduled which’s Nagi’s commitment and responsibility of work, really I can completely understand it, but I cannot understand of the comment/s that mentioned about make money? How could anyone see in that way?
Also, I don’t have any problem with accent, etc. I already knew and nothing weird, I even feel like an old friend because her nice personality, empathy. If the reason just for make money or so, why she need to take any consideration whether the old or the new style of video that better for the Recipetin Eats readers? .
Nagi, you’re so kind to even reply to this. You can’t please everyone. People have unrealistic, self-centered expectations of free blogs on the internet.
I can’t tell you how many times people will ask the same question that has just been answered. Or nonsense ones like “I’m a vegetarian, can I leave out the pork?” Not everyone question needs an answer.
People forget you’re a real person. Internet hugs to you.
Yeah, I can’t understand theirs. Before, Nagi always (yes, right, always) answer or replies if I have questions or comments by email, if now she can’t, that I can understand because of the full scheduled which’s Nagi’s commitment and responsibility of work, really I can completely understand it, but I cannot understand of the comment/s that mentioned about make money? How could anyone see in that way?
Also, I don’t have any problem with accent, etc. I already knew and nothing weird, I even feel like an old friend because her nice personality, empathy. If the reason just for make money or so, why she need to take any consideration whether the old or the new style of video that better for the Recipetin Eats readers? .
Thanks Lisa!! Hated that I went to bed and couldn’t stop thinking about it 😅
You go girl!!! Never change! Lots of love for you and Dozer from Canada!
Love the recipe and love the new format of your videos! Looking forward to the Netflix series… with the handsome Dozer of course <3
What is this about a Netflix series??? Please share I would hate to miss.
G’day Ainsley
I think you’ll find that Shannon was just joshing! Comments sound very much in the Aussie vogue but could be from elsewhere of course!
Mind you, they’d do great if they did have a movie of them!
LOVE your new video with you and Dozer in it!! Lose seeing you talking through it, always with a bit of sense of humour😂 And LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing Dozer!!!! 💕💕
I will give this a try with the lower spice version. I don’t like too much spice and my husband prefers none.
Just a quick recipe correction most of the spice in a pepper is concentrated in the membrane, not the seeds. It’s a common misconception.
Thanks for all your efforts 👌
No!!! Really?? *She dashes off to Google* When I tap the seeds out of dried chillis it massively reduces the spiciness! How does that work???
The seeds do of course carry heat, but the membrane is the main culprit. Removing both will give you the flavour with only a small hit of the heat, even from something like a scotch bonnet.
I’m happy either way with the new video format. I liked the old way as it was concise and gave me a look at how the dish should look if it was a more difficult recipe. But I’m always happy to see Nagi smiling and Dozer so happy either way. Just keep doing what you’re doing xx
I’m afraid I’m not a fan of the new video style at all. It adds a lot of information and personality and noise that I have to filter out to get to what I want to see – what does the ingredient size/shape look like and what does the food look like at a particular stage of cooking and sometimes how to action a complicated action – like rolling a summer roll for example . It needs to be super quick, direct and easy to watch with dirty hands in the middle of a cook What the new format does add is the chopping – that is useful.
The new personality driven video feels like a marketing video to attract new traffic to Nagi’s website from youtube – its about building trust and engagement in Nagi – something she has already earned with me. My whole life I’m being shouted at with influencers and brands trying to engage me with their personality and it’s an overload. Cooking is relaxing for me and Nagi became my go-to chef as her strength came from her actual recipes and consistency. Now to make a recipe I have to watch what feels like an influencer marketing video and I have to try and filter out the noise to get to what I actually want to see, It’s more likely to turn me off rather than keep me engaged.
My advice would be for her to shoot each recipe for two edits – an off-website edit in her new style; and a recipe edit for her website in the old style (with added chopping) and by all means a personal sign off or narrative/puffery at the end.
That’s my two-cents anyhow.
With love,
Hi Robert! Thanks so much for your constructive feedback. The influencer type videos you refer to is exactly what I do NOT want to do! Still trying to find a happy balance of what I’m trying to achieve with these videos whilst still sticking to my core of teaching. Really appreciate your articulate comments, this is exactly what I’m after. Please be patient with me as I keep learning and improving! – Nagi
Just a comment. Traditionally here in Italy they use Pecorino Romano and not Parmesan to serve with Arrabbiata.
Thanks for the input Reinette! I actually read that traditionally it was no cheese at all 🙂 I’ll have to look up pecorino now! N x
some suggest adding a little balsamic vinegar to the sauce. what do you think?
If it’s aged – YUM 🙂 N x
I think I’m more a fan of the old style because it was so concise and less distracting. English is my first language but I’d imagine if it wasn’t I might find the new style harder to follow too. Have been a fan for many years now and can’t wait for the next cookbook.
Love this, although would have to reduce the chilli by 1/2 as my husband doesn’t like it too hot.
So quick & easy ❤️
Loving the new video format with you giving the narrative, much more personal. Especially love seeing Dozer at the end, he’s such a sweet boy
My comment is about your Bursting Blueberry Lemon Cake. At the end you say, ‘if the cake burns before the end of cooking time cover it with cling film’. I think you must have meant baking paper or you would have a Melted Plastic Cake!
Pasta! Yum! ‘nuf said!
I love the new format with you in and narrating the “how to” videos. I enjoy the clarity. I also enjoy, so much, you sharing the food or treats with Dozer. It makes me smile and who can’t use more smiles!
Regarding the video – I would have replaced that Diet Coke with a glass of red wine 😉
From a practical cooking point of view, i.e. when in the kitchen with stuff all over the counter, I like the old format – concise and informative. But lovely to see you and Dozer in action! No complaints on that front and both get the message across.
I’ve used your recipe numerous times and it never disappoints. Very tasty and easy to put together. Like the new video – and hearing your accent – but also loved the old video. You do both very well.
A classic recipe that very much in this form has been a favourite in our household forever. With good ingredients, these simple classic recipes are sometimes the most awesome. We skip the parmesan but toss in plenty of fresh parsley and to me that makes the dish (as with Puttanesca). I urge you and your fans to try making it with fresh tomatoes when they are good and ripe – peel and chop, or nuke in the microwave until cooked through and squish through a food mill or sieve, then simmer with the olive oil, garlic and chilli until nice and concentrated. Our friends all groan at the idea of doing that but honestly is only takes a few minutes and the flavour of concentrated fresh tomato has no comparison.
I think your new video format is fun, but I really do prefer the more direct, concise earlier format for content.
I usually cheat and use a jar of Arrabbiata sauce, but think I need to loosen up and try your recipe. Definitely save the pasta water no matter what I am cooking
I actually like the new video format for one reason, Nagi. You are SO Aussie! Your accent is what some people around the world love listening to and it reminds me of home when I am travelling internationally for a long periods of time. I so miss the Aussie voice and you do it so darn well! 🦘 I still prefer the old video method though, makes it quick and easy to follow which I think is what people are looking for these days. Either one, you do them both well, but given a choice I would choose the old method.