Penne All'arrabiata (Penne with Tomato and Chilli)

This is a traditional Roman dish that I instantly fell in love with when I was in Rome. It's fiery and hot, with a good whack of chilli - serve it with caution! The trick to this dish, as with most pasta dishes, is to allow the penne to absorb some of the sauce on the stovetop before serving.



6 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon dried chilli
825 g tin chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped.
500 g penne

Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan, and then add the garlic and chilli. Gently fry the garlic and chilli until fragrant and then add the tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a low simmer and add the sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the penne and cook until al dente. When the pasta is cooked, strain and reserve some of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta in the frypan with the sauce and stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb some of the sauce. If the pasta becomes too dry, moisten with some of the cooking water. Stir through the chopped parsley and serve.