Arrabiata Quick Sauce

This has been a bit of a rough week, we are looking for a house to rent in Northern California and are not having a great deal of success. It would seem that every time I find a house I could easily fall in love with it is snapped up just as quickly. All whining aside, this week has definitely called for some serious comfort food; enter my version of arrabiata sauce.

If there is one thing in this world I am extremely picky about it is arrabiata sauce. For those of you who don’t know, arrabiata means angry in Italian and the sauce is a fiery concoction of tomatoes and spice. I vaguely remember experiencing it as a child, but later in life was never able to find one that matched that memorable first flavor. I have had arrabiata with a pancetta base, but the pungency of the pancetta masked the throat warming flavors of the spice. There have been others that were more akin to a marinara, or just plain tasted like minestrone with a little extra pepper and not at all what I was looking for. So, I decided I would find the flavors of arrabiata on my own.

In making this sauce I had only one condition; it had to be boldly flavored with minimal preparation and ingredients. As much as I love to unwind by puttering around the kitchen, there are those times when comfort food just can not come quickly enough. So through the judicious application of garlic, pepper and basil I found the flavor I had lost so long ago. I am a bit heavy handed with the garlic, which you of course can change to suit your taste. But I’ll wager you’ll agree there is nothing in the world like the gorgeous scent of garlic and tomato bubbling away to make you toss in a few more cloves.

I like to use this sauce on homemade pizza, with nothing but sauce and a healthy dose of fresh Parmesan.  One of my favorite dishes to use it for is a simple baked penne topped with mozzarella or chevre, sort of a New York Italian style take on things. This sauce is comforting and warm, but with a peppery kick that warms you from the inside out. This is the dish I am making it for on this rather October-esque day. This arrabiata is also a wonderful way to dress vegetables. It adds a bold flavor instead of bland soupy sauces that don’t offer a vegetarian dish anything but a watery red hue with bland flavor.

I have listed this as a quick sauce since it is May and I am using canned tomatoes. But you can easily make this with fresh roasted tomatoes this August when your vines are bursting with tomato-y goodness.

Arrabiata Quick Sauce

48 ounces Crushed Tomatoes (either organic canned or freshly roasted will do nicely)

3-4 TBS Olive Oil

4-8 Garlic Cloves, smashed and minced

3 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper

1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

1 Small Handful Fresh Basil, sliced in a chiffonade

Sea Salt, to taste (optional especially when using canned tomatoes, they usually have enough salt added)

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat add the garlic, pepper and red pepper flakes and saute until the garlic is soft, but not yet brown. Carefully add the tomatoes and basil, check for salt and simmer for 15 minutes or so.

Note: For the ultimate comfort food; toss this sauce, a pound of penne and a splash of water or red wine in a baking pan. Top with mozzarella or chevre and bake until the top is bubbling and golden. Great for a chilly day or for any carb-loading stress ball like yours truly.