Bucatini all'arrabbiata

Method13 steps · about 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta; salt it and return it to a boil.

   Uses Pot of water for pasta; reserve some for fresh tomato blanching · Salt for pasta water; amount not stated

2. 2

   Step 2: For the fresh-tomato route, rinse tomatoes, remove stems, score an X, blanch in boiling water for a couple of minutes, cool in cold water, peel, halve and remove seeds. For the alternative route, wash and halve the cherry tomatoes.

   Uses 400 g fresh ripe tomatoes, peel via blanching; or cherry-tomato branch uses passata later · Boiling water for brief blanching and cold water to cool · Alternative: 12 cherry tomatoes, washed and halved

3. 3

   Step 3: Peel garlic. Halve and seed the fresh chilies (2), then slice them into strips; wash hands after handling. If fresh chilies are unavailable, use the source's 2–3 teaspoons peperoncino flakes instead.

   Uses 2 garlic cloves, peeled · 2 fresh chilies, halved and seeded · Alternative to fresh chili: 2–3 tsp flakes

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Heat the olive oil (3–4 tbsp) in a skillet.

   Uses 3–4 tbsp olive oil

5. 5

   Step 5: Add the garlic and chili and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring so they do not burn.

   Uses Prepared garlic and selected chili route from step 3

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Add the peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes or the halved cherry tomatoes; cook briefly over high heat.

   Uses All prepared peeled ripe tomatoes or all halved cherry tomatoes

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Lower the heat and season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.

   Uses Salt sauce to taste · Black pepper to taste

8. 8

   Step 8: Only for the cherry-tomato route, add the passata now.

   Uses 350 g passata only for cherry tomato route

9. 9

   Step 9: Stir and simmer the sauce uncovered for 15 minutes.

   Simmer arrabbiata · 15 minUses Sauce from the fresh-tomato route, if selected · Sauce from the cherry-tomato/passata route, if selected

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Boil the bucatini or penne (400 g) al dente in the salted water according to its package directions.

    Cook pasta · 10 minUses 400 g bucatini or penne · Prepared pasta water from step 1

11. 11

    Step 11: Drain the pasta and mix it with the prepared arrabbiata sauce.

    Uses Pasta cooked al dente in step 10 · Prepared sauce from step 9

    
12. 12

    Step 12: If the garlic cloves were kept whole, remove them from the sauce before serving.

    Uses If cloves remained whole, remove them from prepared sauce

13. 13

    Step 13: Serve with fresh parsley and, optionally, grated Pecorino Romano or vegetarian/vegan Parmesan.

    Uses All cooked pasta in its sauce, with whole garlic removed if used · 1 handful chopped parsley; literal unmeasured volume · Optional 100 g grated Pecorino or vegetarian/vegan Parmesan