Penne all'Arrabbiata

Ingredients

• 1 pound penne rigate
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 to 2 whole dried red chiles (peperoncino), crumbled, or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for the pasta water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Grated Pecorino Romano, for serving (optional)

Before you cook

• Thinly slice the garlic cloves
• Crumble the dried chiles between your fingers, discarding the seeds if you want less heat
• Crush the canned tomatoes by hand in a bowl, leaving some texture
• Chop the parsley
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta

Steps

1. Salt the boiling pasta water generously, it should taste like the sea
2. Drop the penne into the boiling water and cook according to the package time minus 1 minute, so it stays firm
3. While the pasta boils, warm the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat
4. Add the sliced garlic and crumbled chile to the oil
5. Cook for about 1 minute, swirling the pan often, just until the garlic turns pale gold, pulling the pan off the heat immediately if it starts to brown
6. Pour the crushed tomatoes into the skillet, standing back as they may spatter
7. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of salt
8. Raise the heat slightly and let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and no longer tastes sharply of raw tomato
9. Scoop out and reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water just before draining
10. Drain the penne, saving that reserved water
11. Tip the drained penne straight into the skillet with the sauce
12. Toss the pasta over medium heat for about a minute, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce looks too thick to coat the noodles
13. Stir in most of the chopped parsley, saving a pinch for garnish
14. Taste and adjust with more salt or chile flakes if needed
15. Plate the pasta immediately, scattering the remaining parsley on top and offering grated Pecorino Romano on the side