Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil, room temperature
- 3 garlic, thinly sliced
- 5 g dried red chili flakes
Base
- 800 g whole peeled tomatoes
- 3 g salt
Finish
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 145 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 10 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 339 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 527 mg
- Calcium
- 35 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 26 mg
- Phosphorus
- 59 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 29 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 32 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 49 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 5 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pour the tomatoes and their juices into a bowl and crush them by hand until they are broken down but still slightly chunky. Slice the garlic cloves thinly.
Combine olive oil, sliced garlic, and chili flakes in a large cool skillet. Turn heat to medium-low. This cold start allows the garlic to infuse the oil without burning immediately.
Once the garlic is pale gold and fragrant, immediately add the crushed tomatoes carefully (the oil may splatter). Season with salt.
Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the oil separates slightly, pooling on the surface. This indicates the raw tomato flavor has cooked out.
Remove from heat. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Stir in fresh parsley just before tossing with pasta.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to this sauce is the 'soffritto' of garlic and chili; slicing the garlic instead of mincing it prevents it from burning too quickly.
- Always reserve a cup of starchy pasta water when boiling your noodles. Splash some into the sauce when tossing the pasta to create a silky emulsion.
- San Marzano tomatoes are recommended because they have fewer seeds and a sweeter flesh, which balances the heat of the chilies without added sugar.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight glass container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in portions. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Simmer gently in a pan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
Troubleshooting
Sauce tastes bitter
Cause: The garlic was burned during the initial sauté
Fix: Cannot be fixed completely; adding a pinch of sugar may mask slight bitterness, but starting over is best
Prevention: Start with a cold pan and use medium-low heat; watch the garlic constantly
Cultural Context
Arrabbiata originated in the Lazio region, particularly Rome. The name means 'angry' in Italian, a reference to the heat of the chili peppers that causes the eater's face to turn red, much like an angry person.
