Penne all'arrabbiata is a pasta dish in a spicy tomato sauce. Quick and easy to make in under 30 minutes, this penne dish will become a staple when you're looking to add a little extra heat to your dishes!
Boil water in a large pot for the pasta.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a pan. The pan should be big enough to fit the pasta when cooked and be able to mix it in the pan.
Add the full garlic clove and the chili peppers to the oil.
When the garlic clove is fragrant and sizzling, add the tomatoes to the pan, and add a bit of water to the can of tomatoes (about ¼ to ⅓ of a cup), and add this water to the pan too. Add salt and pepper.
Cook the tomatoes on medium heat for about 20 minutes, until reduced.
While sauce is cooking, bring the pot of water to a boil. Salt the pasta water. Add the penne to the pot and cook until al dente.
When sauce is ready, remove the garlic clove. We're only using the garlic to add a bit of flavor, not overpower - it's a common Italian cooking technique.
Add the penne to the sauce in the pan, still over medium heat. Mix the pasta with the sauce with a wooden spoon for a few minutes, until sauce is well absorbed into the pasta. Add a splash of pasta water if sauce needs to be loosened. Add a sprinkle of parsley and mix one more time.
Plate, and top with more parsley. Add pecorino romano if desired.