Recipe: Gutsy 30-minute Arrabbiata sauce

Caren McSherry shares her recipe for a gutsy Arrabbiata sauce, full of fiery Southern Italian flavour.

This zesty dish can be put together in just half an hour.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
• ½ cup diced Italian Pancetta
• 2-3 Tbsp hot chilli paste (I use Cote d’azur 2.0)
• 12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce
• ¼ cup pasta water
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 cups cooked penne pasta

Method

1. In a 10 inch frying pan, heat the oil, add the shallot, garlic and pancetta. Sauté until the pancetta begins to crisp and the shallot is golden.
2. Add the chilli paste, tomatoes, sauce and foamy pasta water, stir. Lid the sauce and turn the heat to simmer.
3. Once the cherry tomatoes have softened, and the sauce is cohesive, add the parsley and basil, taste for seasoning.
4. Ladle the cooked pasta into the sauce, stir to coat and garnish with a generous amount of Reggiano cheese.

Serves 4