Daily Italian Recipe · Pasta
Penne all'Arrabbiata
Penne all’Arrabbiata brings together tomato, garlic and fiery peperoncino in one beautifully simple Lazio classic. This version uses The Italian Club’s Home Made Tomato Sauce for a quick route to a properly finished pasta.
Total time
25 minutes
Serves
2 people
Difficulty
Easy
Origin
Lazio
Closely associated with Rome and the wider Lazio region, arrabbiata belongs to the Italian tradition of making a memorable pasta sauce from a handful of everyday ingredients.
Its name means “angry”, a playful reference to the chilli’s heat. Tomato, garlic, olive oil and peperoncino define the dish, with chopped parsley adding freshness at the finish.
Ingredients
- 200 g Penne Rigate Molisana, from a 500 g packShop
- 300 g Home Made Tomato SauceShop
- 25 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 8 g garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
- 1 g dried peperoncino flakes
- 5 g flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 2 litres water for cooking the pasta
- 16 g salt for the pasta water
- 0–1 g fine salt for the sauce, only if needed
Method
- 1
1. Prepare the pasta water
Bring 2 litres of water to the boil in a large pot. Add 16 g salt. Have the garlic, chilli and chopped parsley ready before starting the sauce.
- 2
2. Gently flavour the oil
Place the olive oil and crushed garlic in a wide frying pan over low heat. Cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and barely golden. Add the peperoncino and stir for 15–20 seconds; do not let either ingredient scorch.
- 3
3. Build the arrabbiata sauce
Carefully add the tomato sauce and stir. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This prepared sauce needs only a short simmer to take on the garlic and chilli flavours. Remove the garlic cloves, taste and add up to 1 g salt only if needed.
- 4
4. Cook the penne
While the sauce simmers, add the penne to the boiling water and stir. Cook for 1 minute less than the packet’s stated al dente time. Before draining, reserve 200 ml of the cooking water.
- 5
5. Finish in the pan
Transfer the drained penne to the sauce with 30 ml reserved pasta water. Toss over medium heat for about 1 minute, until the pasta is al dente and evenly coated. If needed, add more cooking water in 15 ml increments; the sauce should cling, not pool.
- 6
6. Add parsley and serve
Take the pan off the heat and fold in the chopped parsley. Divide immediately between two warm plates, keeping the finish simple so the tomato, garlic and chilli remain the focus.
Chef's secret
Bloom the chilli briefly in the warm garlic oil before adding tomato. This distributes its flavour through the sauce; the final toss with a little starchy pasta water helps that spicy sauce cling to every ridge.
Did you know?
“Arrabbiata” means “angry” in Italian. The name describes the sauce’s chilli heat, not a complicated cooking method.
Common mistakes
- Browning the garlic deeply or scorching the chilli: both make the sauce bitter.
- Adding salt before tasting the prepared tomato sauce, which may already be seasoned.
- Cooking the penne completely before its final minute in the sauce, leaving it too soft.
Storage & reheating
Best eaten immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow, airtight container within 2 hours and use within 2 days. Reheat in a frying pan over medium-low heat with 15–30 ml water per portion, stirring until steaming hot throughout. Reheat only once; the pasta will be softer than when freshly cooked.
Shop the recipe
Delivered across Hong Kong by SF Express or Lalamove.
FAQ
Should arrabbiata have cheese?
It does not need cheese. Some Roman versions include Pecorino Romano, but serving it without cheese keeps the tomato, garlic and chilli flavours clear.
Can I make it less spicy?
Yes. Reduce the dried peperoncino to 0.5 g for two servings. Chilli strength varies, so start modestly, but retain some heat—it is central to arrabbiata.
Can I order the pasta and tomato sauce for Hong Kong delivery?
Yes. Order the Penne Rigate Molisana and Home Made Tomato Sauce online from The Italian Club Hong Kong, with delivery across Hong Kong via SF Express and Lalamove.