Pasta is a staple food for Italian cuisine. It’s basically a type of starchy noodle made from wheat flour or other grain flour mixed with egg or water to form a dough and cut into sheets or shapes which, roughly counting up to 300 specific varieties. For gluten free pastas, wheat flour is replaced with either rice flour or legumes, yielding a different flavour and texture.
Pastas are available in 2 forms either fresh or dried ones. Mostly store-bought are dried ones. Pastas can be prepared classically by 3 methods.
- Pasta asciutta – cooked pasta served with a side sauce or condiment.
- Pasta in brodo – pasta is served in a soup form.
- Pasta al forno – oven baked pasta.
Pastas are generally cooked al dente which means cooked to be firm to the bite or to the tooth. When cooking store-bought pasta, al dente phase is achieved when the center of the pasta is cooked or changed in colour.
I used Farfalle variety of pasta which are formed into a bow-tie or butterfly shapes. Its name is derived from Italian term Farfalle which means butterflies. This pasta variety are best suited to tomato-based sauces. Also, I used whole wheat farfalle as I always prefer to use whole wheat flour than white flour aka maida. I’m very particular when it comes to nutrient value especially cooking for kids. It’s my healthier version of pasta, loaded with good nutrients as I complemented with fibrous veggies.
This recipe is a type of pasta asciutta where the cooked pasta is served with red sauce with little seasoning and veggies. It turns out to be a spicy, well-seasoned pasta.
Prepare the Arrabbiata sauce / Red sauce in advance and refrigerate it as it has a storage life for a week. My Arrabbiata is a fusion sauce with the inclusion of most of the ingredients from Napolitana sauce. Also, I roast the fresh tomatoes and bell peppers which yields a depth to the sauce. Apart from fresh bunch tomatoes, I included store-bought chopped tomatoes for deep colour and tomato paste for the vinegary punch. Though my ingredients list is lengthy, it’s worth adding as each ingredient offers an unique flavour and aroma.
I like my Arrabbiata this way, as it’s loaded with a mix of ingredients and all delivers a blast of flavours.
It can be converted into Dairy Free, Vegan friendly recipe by replacing butter with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and avoid using cheese while garnishing. For Vegetarians, replace chicken franks with more veggies.
Similarly, for gluten free recipe, look for gluten free pastas available in the market. Cook those gluten free pastas using this recipe to enjoy your fiery red sauce pasta.
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Take a deep bottomed pan with sufficient water to immerse the pastas and add salt, oil and let the water boil in high flame. Adding oil avoids the pasta from sticking to each other and salt for taste.
Once the water boils, add ¼ kg (250 grams) of farfalle pasta and stir well. Keep cooking in high flame till it reaches al dente texture. It took roughly 15 – 17 minutes as I used whole wheat farfalle. Cooking time of pasta varies depending on its shape and make. Generally, the instructions would be given in the store-bought packs. Adhere to it. You can check by taking a bite of the cooked pasta, it should be firm, to the tooth. Or by smashing in between your fingers, should feel cooked throughout the pasta. Since farfalle are bow-tie shapes, the pinched mid part will take time to cook than the edges.
Drain the pastas through a colander and run cold water to it to stop further cooking. Keep them aside. It yields roughly 3 and ¼ cup of cooked farfalle pasta. (Quantity varies according to the shape and size).
Take a wide skillet and heat it with a tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of EVOO, then sauté garlic for 2 minutes in medium flame with constant stirring. Do not burn it, sautéing garlic in butter imparts a great flavour and aroma to the pasta, do not ruin it by burning.
Now add sliced chicken sausages and let it sauté for 3-4 minutes till it gets browned.
Then add diced carrot and sweet corn kernels, sauté for 2 minutes till it becomes soft. Later add coloured capsicums sauté for a minute.
Now add the cooked pasta, required salt, sauté for a minute or two till everything blends well.
Then add the Arrabbiata sauce, and keep mixing, till it coats each pasta. Quantity of the sauce varies according to your requirement. I used roughly 3 cups of red sauce. Let it combine well with pasta by cooking for 2 – 3 minutes and switch off the flame.
Finally garnish with fresh basil leaves and parmesan cheese. Angry Arrabbiata sauce pasta is ready to serve. It’s so flavoursome and appetizing, it’ll be a great hit among your friends and family.
Recipe Card:
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: Italian , International
Category: Main Course
Serves: 4
Author: Manimala
Ingredients:
For Cooking Pasta:
Dry farfalle pasta– 250 gms
Oil – 1 tsp
Salt– to taste
Water– to boil
For Pasta Seasoning:
Butter– 1 tbsp
Extra virgin Olive oil (EVOO)– 2 tbsps
Garlic chopped- 1 tbsp
Diced Veggies– 2 – 2 ½ cups
Chicken sausage- 1 cup sliced
Cooked farfalle pasta– 3 – 3 ½ cups
Fresh basil chopped– 1 tbsp
Salt– to taste
Red sauce / Arrabbiata sauce– 2 -3 cups
Parmesan cheese- 2 tbsps
Instructions:
- Take a deep bottomed pan with sufficient water to immerse the pastas and add salt, oil and let the water boil in high flame.
- Once the water boils, add ¼ kg (250 gms) of farfalle pasta and stir well. Keep cooking in high flame till it reaches al dente texture. It took roughly 15 – 17 minutes as I used whole wheat farfalle.
- Cooking time of pasta varies depending on its shape and make. Generally, the instructions would be given in the store-bought packs. Adhere to it.
- You can check by taking a bite of the cooked pasta, it should be firm, to the tooth. Or by smashing in between your fingers, should feel cooked throughout the pasta. Since farfalle are bow-tie shapes, the pinched mid part will take time to cook than the edges.
- Drain the pastas through a colander and run cold water to it to stop further cooking. Keep them aside. It yields roughly 3 and ¼ cup of cooked farfalle pasta. (Quantity varies according to the shape and size).
- Take a wide skillet and heat it with a tbsp of butter and 2 tbsps of EVOO, then sauté garlic for 2 minutes in medium flame with constant stirring.
- Now add sliced chicken franks and let it sauté for 3-4 minutes till it gets browned.
- Then add diced carrot and sweet corn kernels, sauté for 2 minutes till it becomes soft.
- Later add coloured capsicums sauté for a minute.
- Now add the cooked pasta, required salt, sauté for a minute or two till everything blends well.
- Then add the Arrabbiata sauce, and keep mixing, till it coats each pasta. Quantity of the sauce varies according to your requirement. I used roughly 3 cups of red sauce.
- Let it combine well with pasta by cooking for 2 – 3 minutes and switch off the flame.
- Finally garnish with fresh basil leaves and parmesan cheese.
- Arrabbiata sauce pasta is ready to serve. It’s so flavoursome and appetizing, it’ll be a great hit among your friends and family.
Notes:
- You can use any type of pasta. I personally prefer whole wheat pasta over white flour pasta.
- Almost any small type of pastas like fusilli, penne, seashell pasta goes well with this recipe.
- Cooking time of pasta varies on the shape and size. Follow the instructions given on the pack of your store-bought pasta.
- Al dente as mentioned above is the texture of the pasta to be cooked, it should be firm. Italians prefer this texture for their pasta. Anyways, while seasoning and cooking with sauce, pasta will reach the consistency you desire.
- I used butter and EVOO, you can go with either one of them or both. If EVO Oil is not available, substitute it with any neutral flavoured oil.
- Choice of veggies and cheese is purely to your requirement and availability.
- I used chicken sausage, if you prefer other meat or seafood, feel free to add of your choice.
- If you are vegan or pure vegetarian, skip the sausage and add only carrots, sweet corn, broccoli, coloured capsicums or any veggies of your choice.
- You can check my Béchamel / white sauce pasta if you are especially looking for non spicy pasta for kids.
- For this quantity it almost needs 3- 3 ½ cups of red sauce. Again, quantity varies depending on your requirements.
- You can prepare the sauce and season the pasta beforehand and refrigerate it. You can just mix the sauce and cheese to the already seasoned pasta and let it combine by cooking 1 or 2 minutes, your instant meal is ready on a busy weekday.
- I used fresh basil, if fresh herbs are not available, use dry herbs of your choice. Insert herbs either fresh or dry, as it yields excellent flavour to the dish.