This month’s Improv Challenge? Tomatoes and Peppers -two veggies that are constantly showing up in my CSA share week after week and I am certainly not complaining. So the question was what to make? I decided to keep it simple in true Italian style.
This recipe is actually a bit of a mashup between two styles of pasta sauces: all’Arrabbiata (“angry” sauce), which features hot peppers, tomatoes, garlic and onions and all”Amatricianna, which features pork, tomatoes and pecorino cheese. For this sauce, I used a mix of hot peppers from my CSA share, which I roasted, some lovely heirloom tomatoes and diced prosciutto. If you wanted to make this vegetarian, swap smoked paprika for the prosciutto to get that smoky flavor.
These type of sauces work best with a thicker pasta like bucatini, penne or fusilli (an aside – I always think of Fusilli Jerry anytime I use the corkscrew pasta.)
PrintTomato and Chili Pepper Spaghetti all’Arrabbiata
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Tomatoes and chili peppers are the keys to all’Arrabbiata or “angry” sauce for pasta. This month’s Improv Challenge features all tomato and pepper recipes.
Ingredients
- 2 hot peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion or 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 ounce prosciutto, finely chopped
- 2 large tomatoes (about 2 cups), diced
- Salt & pepper
- 8 ounces spaghetti, penne or fusilli pasta (I use a mix of regular and whole wheat)
- Parmesan, pecorino or other aged Italian cheese, grated
Instructions
- To roast peppers, place on a baking tray and put under the broiler. Turn them with tongs every few minutes until skins are blackened. Place peppers in paper bag and let sit 20 minutes. Remove seeds and skins and dice. Set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat, add oil. Add onions and prosciutto, saute for 6 -7 minutes, until onions become translucent and prosciutto is crisp, stirring frequently.
- Add tomatoes and peppers with dash of salt and pepper. Stir together and let come to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
- While sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to package about 1 minute shy of recommended cooking time. When pasta is ready, add to the tomato & pepper sauce along with 1/2 cup or so of pasta water. Mix together and heat a few more minutes.
- Serve with freshly grated cheese.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy summertime tomatoes and peppers? See the thumbnails below for many more recipe ideas!
Valerie
Thursday 18th of October 2018
This recipe over spaghetti squash was so so good! I was a bit concerned when the sauce came out looking like a pico de gallo, but I was pleasantly surprised with the taste. It is a beautiful medley of flavors. I used a sweet onion. The final product was sweet, spicy and salty in the best way. I had no idea prosciutto could add so much rich complexity to a pasta sauce.
Deanna Segrave-Daly
Friday 19th of October 2018
Thanks so much for leaving a comment Valerie and we're thrilled you liked it! Yes, prosciutto is a flavor changer - even just a little bit! If you liked this recipe, you might like our new cookbook The 30 Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, which has similar ingredients and recipes as this one. It's on sale on Amazon now: https://amzn.to/2xkxwHQ
Liz
Saturday 18th of August 2012
What a delicious pasta dish! Fresh, spicy and marvelous!!
Stacy
Saturday 18th of August 2012
This looks delicious with all the bright fresh colors. I loved this month's two ingredients, didn't you?! Thanks for the suggestion of how to make this vegetarian. Both of my vegetarian daughters are visiting right now and I needed the reminder about smoked paprika. Love that stuff but it is not in the front of my spices so I tend to forget about it. [Pulling it out now.]
Many thanks,
Stacy
Serena
Saturday 18th of August 2012
Thanks Stacy! Glad you're a smoked paprika fan too!
Lisa~~
Thursday 16th of August 2012
Your pasta looks totally delicious and sounds wonderful with the spicy peppers.
If you haven't already, I'd love for you to check out my Improv Cooking Challenge entry: French Fries Hash Browns.
Lisa~~ Cook Lisa Cook
Little Mommy
Thursday 16th of August 2012
Looks gorgeous! Love your site!!
Serena
Friday 17th of August 2012
Thanks Little Mommy! So kind of you!