1009. Penne Arrabiata

Penne arrabiata is not an Arab dish, but a famous Roman one referring to the spiciness of the pasta. The most prominent flavors are the tomato, garlic, and chili, but it is the generosity of the Italian herbs that really makes it stand out: oregano, thyme, and basil.
Although the dish usually uses panne pasta (that tube pasta cut into segments at an angle), any pasta of choice can be used instead, like spaghetti. The addition of balsamic vinegar is in no way traditional, but it certainly adds a depth to the sauce I highly recommend. This is an accidental vegan dish, by the way. If you were to add sauteed merguez sausage, I'm sure it would be fantastic, but it would also not be arrabiata anymore. Maybe moroccinata...

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil
3 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp dry thyme
3 tsp dry basil
3 cloves garlic, grated
1/4 tsp chili flakes
400g tinned chopped tomato
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt & pepper
300g penne pasta
freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Method:

Saute the oregano, thyme, basil, garlic, and chili in the olive oil until fragrant, but not browned.
Add the can of chopped tomato, together with all it's juices. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add the balsamic and salt, stir, and simmer 2 minutes more.
Meanwhile while the sauce is simmering, cook the penne as per package instructions. Once pasta and sauce are done, drain the pasta (reserving a cup of the boiling water) and stir into the sauce. If the pasta seems to stiff to thick, thin it out with a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water, as needed.
Serve hot, topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

صحة و عافية