Recipe of the Month - February
La salsa arrabiata is a spicy, chili-spiked tomato sauce, delicious with any shape pasta: try it on big fat rigatoni or elegant long penne, flat ribbons of fettucine or (my favorite) supply chewy spaghetti. Since chilies are known to inflame the passions (and garlic, too), what better dish to have for February, the month of Valentines Day? The cilantro pesto, by the way, is what transforms the classic Italian dish into something unusual, something personal... and if you don't feel like making arrabiata sauce, the pesto is good on the pasta by itself — but so, too, is the arrabiata sauce.
Pasta Arrabiata with Cilantro Pesto
Pasta Arrabiata
- 1 lb (450–500g) penne
- 5–7 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (or hot chile paste, such as Aji)
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- Salt (optional)
- 2 Tbsp. butter
Cilantro Pesto
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch cilantro (about 1 cup)
- 2–3 ounces (90g) Parmesan cheese, cut into small pieces (not shredded)
- 2–3 Tbsp. olive oil
Boil pasta al dente; meanwhile, make the sauce.
Sauté (but do not brown) garlic in olive oil. Add hot pepper flakes (or chili paste). Stir in tomato sauce and boil until pasta is ready to serve. The sauce will be approximately half its original volume. Add salt if desired.
Make the pesto: Puree garlic in food processor or blender. Add cilantro, cheese, and oil; puree until smooth.
Drain pasta; toss with butter. Transfer to platter or bowl. Pour sauce over pasta and toss well. Top each portion with a dollop of Cilantro Pesto.
© Marlena Spieler 2003