To the entire world, India has always been associated with its abundance of spices. Not surprisingly, Indians favour the spicier offerings of global cuisine, which brings us to the famous arrabbiata. The literal translation from Italian means ‘angry‘, an ode to the fire and heat that is prominent in this sauce, my version using none other than ground bits of emaciated Kashmiri mirchi.
This recipe for Cherry Tomato Mascarpone Arrabbiata came about after pottering through the larder and the refrigerator, with the aim of satisfying my friends who we invited over for a long overdue tete a tete consisting of vats of wine and a bounteous spread. This pasta came as a shared entree, with a side of crunchy garlic buttered baguette, baked with a generous smothering, the way my sister and Italian brother in law do at their house.
The beauty of this Cherry Tomato Mascarpone Arrabbiata was that it focused on simple but structured flavours, adding complexity just by cooking it the right way, for the right time, and definitely, for the right people. Essentially a basic tomato sauce, with fresh herbs, chilli and some mascarpone to finish. Brilliantly basic, brilliantly gratifying.
- 2 Cups Penne
- 2 x 400 gm Cherry Tomato Cans
- 1 Small Red Onion, diceds
- 1 tbs Dried Chilli Flakes
- 1 tbs Sugar, to taste
- 1 tsp Garlic, Minced
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil & Oregano
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- 75gm mascarpone (I use Impero brand)
- Salt , Pepper & Parmesan, to taste
- In a non-stick pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat and sauté the onion until soft. Add the tomatoes, garlic and sugar and leave to simmer and thicken for 15-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
- Season the sauce to taste. The sauce is ready when you see oil appearing on the top of the sauce. Add in the herbs and cook for a few more minutes until the flavour is intensified by the fresh herbs.
- While the sauce is simmering, boil the pasta in salty water with a few drops of olive oil, till al dente. Keep an eye out to avoid overcooking.
- When ready to serve, taste and season the pasta sauce. Take it off the heat and stir through the mascarpone. Mix the pasta into the sauce, and if too dry, add a few tbs of the pasta water. Serve hot with a scattering of parmesan.
A proud Joie De Vivre original.
