Penne all’Arrabbiata is a spicy pasta dish that takes less than 20 minutes to make.
Arrabiatta Sauce served on top of Gluten-Free Penne Pasta
I can’t believe it is almost December already. As soon as Halloween hits, it seems the rest of the year just flies by. With the pace of things picking up this time of year, and all the rich and decadent holiday food showing up everywhere you turn, I am focusing my cooking on light and easy recipes that can be prepared in a short amount of time, made ahead of time and reheated, or thrown in a crock pot and kept warm until dinnertime. I started off the week with quick and easy Stir-Fried Chicken with Thai Basil and Red Peppers, and am ending it with this simple, quick to prepare Pasta with all’Arrabbiatta Sauce, or Spicy Pasta as I described it to my kids. Arrabbiatta means angry in Italian, referring to the spiciness of this pasta sauce.
One of the easiest meals to put on the table on a busy weekday night is a simple pasta dish. My kids love pasta, and never seem to tire of it. Having a few quick and easy pasta sauce recipes in my repertoire has made it a lot more stress free on nights when I feel I don’t have time to make dinner. Although I like to experiment in the kitchen and switch things up at mealtime, my kids remind me that simple is sometimes better – keep it to the basics. Sometimes kids know best, right?
This Spicy Pasta Dish or Penne all’Arrabbiata fits the bill. Although this recipe contains only a few ingredients – tomatoes, garlic, basil, dried red chili peppers, and good olive oil, it is deceptively flavorful due to the method of preparation. Olive oil is infused with fresh garlic, dried chili peppers and fresh basil before cooking the tomato sauce in this flavored oil. Although the original recipe by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray stirs the toasted garlic, chili peppers and basil back into the sauce, I served it as a crunchy topping to this simple pasta dish. I did not find this pasta sauce overly “angry,” so I added a bit more red pepper flakes. Please adjust the recipe based on your tolerance for heat.
This week, Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray are being recognized by a group of bloggers as one of the Top 50 Women Game Changers in Food. Although I had never heard of either of these women before, I learned that  these two ladies are recognized as two of Britain’s most influential modern chefs and cookery writers. They revolutionized Italian cooking in England with their emphasis on freshness, seasonality and simplicity. They became friends in the 1970’s, attending the same dinner parties, and the same anti-Vietnam protest marches. Although neither women were formally trained chefs, together, they opened the now critically acclaimed restaurant, The River Cafe, in London in 1987. It all started when Ruth Roger’s husband, the architect Lord Richard Rogers moved his headquarters to the Thames Wharf complex and realized he and his staff had no where to eat.
In addition to their restaurant, Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray jointly wrote six highly successful cookbooks, including the award winning Rogers Gray Italian Country Cook Book. Rose Gray died of cancer in 2010, and today, Ruth Rogers continues to be own and run The River Cafe.
I chose Penne all’Arrabbiata, a simple pasta dish in honor of Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray because I think it represents the very essence of the type of Italian food they introduced to London – fresh, seasonal and simple.
Penne all'Arrabbiata
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried penne pasta
- 4 cloves garlic peeled, cut in half
- 4 dried red chilies
- 3 tablespoons basil leaves cut into pieces
- 1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes skinned, roughly chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
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Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and fry gently. After 1 minute, add the whole chillies, then continue to fry until the garlic is lightly brown. Remove it with the chillies and save. Add the basil to the hot oil for a few moments to add flavour, then remove and save. Finally, add the tomatoes to the flavored oil with the red pepper flakes (if using) and the salt and cook gently for 10 minutes.
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Cook the penne in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, add to the tomato sauce, and toss to coat. Top with toasted garlic, chilies and basil. Serve with olive oil drizzled on top.
You chose a perfect recipe to represent the work of these two women. It is amazing that they were able to accomplish all they have with no professional training. That speaks volumes about determination. I hope you have a great weekend. Blessings…Mary
It is incredible how much these two women accomplished without any professional training – all things are possible with enough determination and natural skill.
Great recipe—the roasted garlic and chilies must really make this pop.
My kids loved sprinkling the crunchy garlic and basil on top – one even took a bite of a chili.
I believe Jamie Oliver trained in the River Cafe kitchen, too. Love this pasta sauce — it’s one of my favorites.
Yes, thanks Lydia – Jamie Oliver and other famous chefs trained at the River Cafe.
I know! I barely remember October or November…where did they go so quickly!? This is a beauty, I love that roasted garlic perched on top (that is roasted garlic, isn’t it?)…it’s so inviting!
It is incredible how quickly time flies this time of year. Yes, that is the toasted garlic on top – my kids love nibbling on the crunchy bits!
Time seems to go at warp speed when autumn arrives. Now that winter has come to my state, this is the perfect warm-me-up-quickly dish. Just looking at the photos makes me scan my cabinets for ingredients.
looks like the perfect meal. Bookmarked
This is an excellent representation of their style –simple but tasty. These women were dedicated and determined. Just think, Rose was 71 and still working before she died. That’s a strong woman for you.
Exactly what I’ve been craving. YUM.
A simple, and very fresh and delicious pasta dish.
This is my kind of meal!
Oh my goodness you are so right! From Halloween on it’s just a whirlwind and you blink and you miss another month! lol
This looks like a recipe that would be a huge hit in my house. Love the roasted garlic! What could be better than a pasta dish this time of the year. Great choice!
that photo is great, it is almost like I had the plate in front of me, I wish it really was in front of me
Lovely pasta Jeanette. I find the arrabbiata preparation irresistible – which is part of the problem! (can’t stop eating it… 😉 I wonder if they’ll come out with a protein rich pasta one of these days… what is the base of this gluten free variation?
There are gluten-free pastas made with quinoa and corn. The pasta pictured here is actually corn pasta.
I was just talking about this fab pasta sauce with some family of mine in San Diego. They’d never heard of a spicy pasta sauce. I knew I hadn’t made it up! I have proof. Thanks for the lovely recipe I’ll be passing your recipe along!
Hope you have a chance to share this recipe with your family. If they like a bit of spice, I think they will enjoy this simple pasta.
This dish exemplifies what their cooking style is all about!!
Thanks for sharing this, Jeanette, it looks wonderful!
This plate of pasta makes me happy! Im with you on simple & healthy this time of year, it’s a great balance!
I’m really trying to cook lighter during the week this holiday season!
Aren’t simple, fast pasta sauces this just the best thing ever on a busy evening? My go-to on a weekly basis, and sometimes more!
I agree – having a few easy, quick pasta sauce recipes definitely makes dinnertime so much easier.
Okay, that crunchy garlic and basil sounds like a snack to me. I could eat that all day long. This sauce seems like such a fresh and simple dish. Great choice to feature here!
i totally know what u mean = simple is better! hahhaha i think its adorable how your kids tell you what they like. it doesn’t take much to make them happy! so cute.
and i’ve never thought about adding chilis to my pasta sauce before, but i’m sure my parents would love it… they add the rooster sauce to a lot of things!
Great pasta recipe! I love the sauce, simple and effective for a great weeknight dinner.
a simple and elegant pasta and my kind of meal.. love the crunchy basil.we add chili flakes or some kind of chili to pretty much everything being Indian.. it just doesnt feel right without some chili.. though there are dishes I have started appreciating without the spice now after a decade in seattle.. when my mom visits, she usually carries around her bottle of home ground chili powder 🙂
Wonderful recipe – I love everything with roasted garlic, must give this a try! Your plating looks beautiful!
Light and easy is definitely the way to go from now until the end of the holiday season! I love how simple and delicious this pasta sauce is!
I love a great, spicy homemade tomato sauce. Ones made from scratch are so simple & taste way better than anything you could purchase in a jar.
I love pasta! 🙂
Great recipe, it looks so delicious!