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Dan Tana's Style Penne Arrabiatta

Dan Tana’s Style Penne Arrabbiata

This is the "angry" spicy pasta famously favored by Don Henley. Base: Plenty of extra virgin olive oil and several cloves of thinly sliced or minced fresh garlic. The Heat: The key to the "angry" sauce is a generous amount of crushed red pepper flakes (peperoncino) sautéed in the oil with the garlic until fragrant. Tomatoes: Use canned whole peeled plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), crushed by hand or lightly pureed. Finishing: The penne is cooked until just al dente and then tossed directly in the spicy sauce for the final 1–2 minutes of cooking so the pasta absorbs the flavors. It is often finished with fresh parsley and a dusting of Pecorino Romano or Parmesan.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb penne or pasta or your choice
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 5-6 garlic cloves
  • 1 can (28 oz) San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • Fresh chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
  • finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, for garnish
  • sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Equipment

  • 1 large pot for cooking the pasta
  • 1 large saute pan for cooking the sauce

Method
 

Sauté Aromatics
  1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant but do not let the garlic brown.
Simmer Sauce
  1. Add the hand-crushed tomatoes (and juices). Simmer on low for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld.
Boil Pasta
  1. While the sauce simmers, cook the penne in heavily salted water until it is just al dente (usually 1 minute less than package instructions). Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
Combine
  1. Drain the pasta and add it directly into the skillet with the sauce. Toss well, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to help the sauce coat every noodle.
Serve
  1. Stir in fresh parsley and top with a generous dusting of cheese.
  2. Serve with Chicken Parmigiana, a glass of red wine (or vodka tonic!), some crusty garlic or Italian bread, and Caesar Salad.

Notes

This dish, a favorite of Don Henley, is known for its "angry" (spicy) profile.
  • Base: Plenty of extra virgin olive oil and several cloves of thinly sliced or minced fresh garlic.
  • The Heat: The key to the "angry" sauce is a generous amount of crushed red pepper flakes (peperoncino) sautéed in the oil with the garlic until fragrant.
  • Tomatoes: Use canned whole peeled plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), crushed by hand or lightly pureed.
  • Finishing: The penne is cooked until just al dente and then tossed directly in the spicy sauce for the final 1–2 minutes of cooking so the pasta absorbs the flavors. It is often finished with fresh parsley and a dusting of Pecorino Romano or Parmesan.