"Thats'a one spicy sauce!" Garlic, fresh tomatoes, and red chili peppers cooked in premium extra virgin olive oil .. I just get "angry" when I think of this sauce .. but in a good way. "Arrabbiata" literally means "angry" in Italian!
It's one of the few sauces in Italian cuisine I seldom taper with besides Bolognese. The flavors are bright with red pepper and fresh with locally grown organic tomatoes. If I do tamper, like I did this time, I will add course chopped capers just to add a tad more brininess.
Arrabbiata is traditionally served with penne pasta, however, I find it matches my style better with my "Mia Piccola Cucina" housemade spaghetti. The fresh, handmade pasta is quick on the cook and absorbs the sauce much better than dry pastas.
Two tips on pasta cooking .. first, NEVER EVER add oil to the pasta water. It will form a barrier between the pasta keeping it from absorbing the sauce you worked so hard making. Second, season the water with sea salt. Make it taste like the ocean. This builds a flavor base to your dish you will miss out on and could possibly make an ordinary dish, an extraordinary one!
Spaghetti alla'Arribbiata is a perfect summertime pasta. It makes you sweat a bit, but what could be better than that? Especially when it's paired with a bold Italian red.
I chose the Italian winemaker Banfi's "2012 ASKA Bolgheri Rosso DOC" for this dish. The cabernet sauvignon/cabernet franc blend features deep ruby red color and offers up hints of violet. Soft on the nose with red berries, blueberries and plum jam, followed by hints of tobacco and licorice. I would say the wine is well rounded, with velvety tannins and a persistent finish. A great companion to the classic arrabbiata. (under $17)
So if you're looking to heat up the summer night this weekend .. How about getting a little angry?
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