Mama Palma’s Arrabbiata Sauce

Arrabbiata sauce is made from a few simple ingredients. It’s also easy to make and can be ready in about thirty minutes.

I love this sauce. It has lots of spice from red pepper flakes, thus the name Arrabbiata or “angry”. So if you want to “kick it up a notch” (in the words of Emeril), this sauce is for you.

I usually make one new dish a week. Sometimes more if I’m feeling super productive. But I don’t like making the same things over and over so I try to add new things as often as possible. I have so many cookbooks and I want to actually use them. Some things make it into my meal rotation and some don’t. All that to say, this sauce is a keeper and has been in my rotation for a few years.

You will need to use San Marzano tomatoes. They are the king of canned tomatoes and are known for their balanced flavor. Also, they are sweet and are lower in seeds than a lot of canned tomatoes.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 lb pasta (spaghetti or penne)

The first step is to heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Next, add the red pepper flakes and let them sit in the oil for about a minute. This is infusing the spicy flavor into the oil.

Now add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until you can start to smell the garlic.

Now you are ready to add the tomatoes – juice and all. Do not drain them. You want all the goodness for your sauce. Then just start breaking the tomatoes up a little with the back of a wooden spoon. Turn the heat down to low and just let the sauce hang out and simmer while you cook the pasta. Just stir and keep breaking up the tomatoes every once in awhile. It needs to simmer for about 30 minutes.

Cook the pasta about a minute less than the box directions because you are going to cook it a little more as you incorporate it into the sauce.

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Spend a minute or two just tossing in and fully mixing the sauce into the pasta. Now you are ready to top with fresh basil and/or parsley.

Finally, serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!

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Mama Palma's Arrabbiata Sauce

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Dinner – Italian

By Denise Palma – Serves: 4-6

Prep Time: 10 mins – Cooking Time: 30 mins – Total Time: 40 mins

Spicy marinara sauce using just a few ingredients

Ingredients

• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• 2 t red pepper flakes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 large (or 4 small) garlic cloves, minced
• 1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 lb spaghetti or penne pasta
• Fresh basil and/or parsley
• Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

2

Add the red pepper flakes and let them sit for a minute or so to infuse the flavor.

3

Add the onions and cook 3-4 minutes.

4

Add the garlic and stir until fragrant - 30 seconds or so.

5

Add the tomatoes, crushing them a bit with the back of a wooden spoon.

6

Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

7

Stir and break down tomatoes every once in awhile.

8

Cook pasta one minute less than box directions.

9

Drain and add to the sauce after it has simmered for 30 minutes.

10

Stir for about a minute to fully incorporate the pasta and the sauce and to finish cooking the pasta.

11

Top with fresh herbs and parmesan cheese.