Pasta Arrabbiata (Angry Pasta)

Hey guys! How has your break been so far? There's only 1 day until Christmas, then after that New Year's is right around the corner! Wow this year has gone by fast. Well this recipe isn't a traditional Christmas recipe that you'd find at a Christmas dinner. It's an Italian recipe that is sure to make a red appearance on the dinner table at a Christmas party. Stacie Gomm, the chef of this recipe, says that this Italian recipe is called Pasta Arrabbiata or Angry Pasta because "you can add more or less crushed red pepper to define how angry you would like your pasta" (294). This recipe will spice up the menu for a Christmas dinner but still have the red sauce to make it look like a traditional meal.

The ingredients you'll need are:

• 1/2 pound bacon strips, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 cans (15 ounces each) tomato puree
• 6 thinly sliced basil leaves
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 cups uncooked penne pasta
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Steps to make this dish:

1. "In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; discard drippings" (Gomm 294). After the bacon is cooked, chop it until it's in bite-size pieces.

Step 1 - Cook the Bacon

Step 1 - Cook the Bacon (cont.)

2. Using the same skillet, salute garlic in olive oil for 1 minute then add tomato puree, basil, pepper flakes and bacon. Bring it to a boil and reduce heat. Let it simmer for 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend and stir it occasionally (Gomm 294).

Step 2 - Making the Sauce

3. "Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Serve with sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese" (Gomm 294).

Step 3 - Making the Pasta

Step 3 - Making the Pasta (cont.)

Final Product

This dish is a twist on a simple pasta recipe. It has crushed red pepper to spice it up and make it a type of pasta that isn't typically basic. But it is also topped with Parmesan cheese to remind us that it is a signature Italian dish. Having this be the second meal to cook made me feel like an Italian chef with the way it turned out! This dish tastes amazing, looks amazing, and smells amazing. Hopefully you give this recipe a try and impress your guests with your delicious Italian Angry Pasta! 

Question:

What's your favorite Italian dish? What kinds of foods do you have at your Christmas dinner(s)? Do your Christmas dinners have dishes all from one culture (exp. all Italian food, all Filipino food, etc.)?

Citation:

Gomm, Stacie. "Pasta Arrabbiata (Angry Pasta)." The Taste of Home Cookbook: Best Loved Recipes from Home Cooks like You. Greendale, Wisc.: Reader's Digest, 2014. 294. Print.