Pantry Pasta Arrabiata

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My Pantry Pasta Arrabbiata is an embellished version of the classic Italian Arrabiata sauce. This pasta sauce is very versatile, and I make it with ingredients always found in my well-stocked pantry.

Jump to:

• 👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks - About Preparation and a Well-Stocked Pantry
• 🍅 What is "Arrabbiata?"
• 📋 Ingredients You'll Need
• 💭 Tips Variations and FAQ
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

~~ Abraham Lincoln

👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks - About Preparation and a Well-Stocked Pantry

From time to time, I am asked the question "how do you find the time to cook nearly every day of the week?" I love to answer this question... The answer is breathtakingly simple. Preparation.

"Preparation" in the case of this quick and easy pasta dish means keeping my pantry well-stocked. The key to creative and efficient cooking on a frequent and regular basis lies in a well-stocked pantry.

There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to determining what goes into your "well-stocked" pantry. Rather, you need to evaluate what you and your family love to eat, and plan accordingly.

For example, my family loves all kinds of nuts, and we appreciate their nutritional value (ie. protein and good fats.) I keep several varieties of nuts on hand... pinions, slivered, sliced, and whole almonds, walnuts, and pecans. If your family doesn't care for nuts, or allergies are a problem, they don't go on your list.

For arrabbiata sauce, I keep ingredients like kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, capers, dried herbs, good canned tomatoes, olive oil (of course!), garlic, and either Barilla protein angel hair or spaghetti. In the refrigerator, I usually have a bit of prosciutto or pancetta, and a hunk of either parmesan or romano. Sometimes, I make it without the cured meat...

Take this idea a step further. You currently are not cooking healthy and exciting food but you would like to? Think about what you'd like to begin incorporating into your diet and menu planning. Take a look at websites like cookinglight.com, myrecipes.com, and eatingwell.com for inspiration.

MyRecipes is a "go to" website for me as it features healthy recipes from many sources that can be made in "less than 45 minutes." The website includes a "what's in your pantry" tool, and even a "nutrition search" that allows the user to search for recipes that meet specific nutritional criteria.

🍅 What is "Arrabbiata?"

Arrabbiata  literally translated means angry...  😃 When used to identify a sauce, it means spicy. While arrabbiata and marinara are both tomato-based Italian pasta sauces, arrabbiata sauce is spicy.

The heat comes from the use of chile pepper... It may be fresh or dried. In this case, I use crushed red chile as I always have it in my pantry!

📋 Ingredients You'll Need

• 1-2 tbsp . extra virgin olive oil, don't use your "fancy" imported stuff!
• 4 ounces pancetta, go for the "good" stuff here!, prosciutto, hard salami, or ham cubed (optional for vegetarian)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or 1 fresno chile, minced
• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, quartered and/or
• 2 tablespoons kalamata olives, sliced and/or
• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups good quality diced tomatoes, or 1 can
• 1/4 cup red wine, or pasta water
• 1 tbsp . fresh herbs, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, or a combination, finely chopped or
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs (such as Italian or a combination of those above)
• salt/pepper to taste
• 8 oz . thin spaghetti or angel hair, I prefer Barilla Plus for its added protein
• Hard cheese for grating, parmesan, pecorino romano, asiago

• Bring pasta water to a boil - Fill a large stock pot with water. Add 2 tsp. salt. Turn heat to high. Add the salt (see tips below). While the water is heating, start the arrabbiata sauce. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook your pasta to al dente - according to the package directions.
• Sauté the aromatics - Add the olive oil to your sauté pan, and bring to medium-high heat. Add the cubed meat, onion (or shallot,) and garlic. Let it sizzle for several minutes, until the onion is translucent, and the meat begins to render its fat. This process will take about 5-6 minutes, depending on heat level.
• Finish the sauce - add the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, and/or capers, and wine (if using.) If using dried herbs, add them now. Cover and stir occasionally. Finally, add the fresh herb(s) to the sauce. Stir thoroughly.
• Finish the pasta - Before removing the pasta pot to drain, check the sauce. If it's too thick, add pasta water to thin it a bit. Drain the pasta, and return to the pan. Check the sauce for seasoning (cured meat is salty, and it may not need additional salt.) Add the sauce to the pot. Give it a good toss with a pasta fork.
• Serve - Serve in shallow bowls with freshly grated cheese!

💭 Tips Variations and FAQ

• Add a generous amount of salt to the pasta water before cooking the pasta is a must! This is your only chance to salt the pasta. I add a palm full of salt to the pot.
• Always check the sauce for seasoning - both the cured meat and the capers and olives are likely to be quite salty. You may not want additional salt. We don't.
• Be flexible! You can vary the meat or use none at all. I typically use 1 or 2, but not all 3, of the artichokes/olives/capers. Black olives are a fine substitute for kalamatas. Any hard, aged cheese is fine - parmesan, pecorino romano, asiago - with a caveat: Grate it yourself rather than using the pre-grated stuff with additives.

Because I keep a well-stocked pantry, I have a "go to" meal if I've neglected to plan menus for the week. We jokingly refer to this dish as "pantry pasta!" It may not look or taste the same twice, but it is always delicious and healthy.

This pasta dish can be prepared in under 30 minutes if you focus. I prefer to listen to my Bruce Hornsby station on Pandora and sip a glass of wine, so it sometimes takes me closer to an hour.😂