Penne all’arrabbiata

This is simple Italian food at it's best - basically pasta with tomato sauce and cheese, with a hit of chilli. Perfect for a speedy mid week supper, this dish is ready on the table in 20 mins and equally delicious to cook for friends - Arrabiata, which means angry in English, it's called angry is due to the heat of the chilli's in the sauce, so the more you add the hotter it gets. It makes a great vegetarian dish, served with fresh Parmesan and basil. Buon Appetito!

Serves 2
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra to finish
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
400g good tinned chopped tomatoes
200g penne - I use De Cecco brand of pasta
1/4 tsp red wine vinegar
Handful of basil leaves

Method

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the chilli. When it begins to darken, stir in the garlic and cook just until it colours slightly, then add the tomatoes and a generous pinch of salt, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon.
2. Simmer for about 15 minutes while you cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until just al dente. The sauce should be thick by this time – if it looks too dry, add a splash of the pasta cooking water.
3. Stir in the vinegar and season to taste, then drain the pasta and stir into the sauce. Cook until the sauce coats each piece, then divide between bowls, drizzle over a little oil and tear over the basil leaves.