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Cicatelli all'Arrabbiata

Cicatelli Pasta with Arrabbiata Sauce Recipe

Enjoy a bowl of Cicatelli Pasta with Arrabbiata Sauce, with perfectly cooked cicatelli smothered in spicy tomato sauce and finished with Pecorino Romano

Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time: 27 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Manuela Zangara

Ingredients

Cicatelli

  • 1 batch durum wheat dough
  • Durum wheat flour – for dusting
  • salt – for cooking the pasta

Arrabbiata Sauce

  • 680 g – 1½ lb tinned diced tomatoes
  • 1 small red chilli – sliced or to taste
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves – crushed
  • 60 ml – ¼ cup water
  • 2 tbsp parsley – chopped
  • salt – to taste
  • Pecorino Romano – finely grated, to serve

Instructions

To Make the Pasta

  1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a working surface and knead until smooth.
  3. Shape the dough into a ball, cover with cling wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  4. Dust 3 cookie sheets with durum wheat flour and set aside.
  5. Take small pieces of dough and roll them into ½-inch thick ropes using your fingertips.
  6. Cut the ropes into 1½-inch long pieces.
  7. Place your index, middle, and ring fingers together and press them down on each piece of dough, rolling it towards you with a quick movement.
  8. Place the shaped pasta on the prepared cookie sheets.
  9. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

For the Arrabbiata Sauce

  1. Sauté the crushed garlic and sliced chili with the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan over low heat for 1–2 minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn or the sauce will taste bitter. Discard the garlic.
  2. Add the tomatoes and ¼ cup of water, season with salt to taste, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
  3. Turn off the heat and set aside.

To Cook the Pasta

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta for 6–8 minutes, or until al dente.

  2. Note: To test for doneness, remove a piece of pasta and take a bite. It should be cooked but still slightly firm in the centre.
  3. Drain the pasta, then return it to the pot over the heat.
  4. Add the arrabbiata sauce and chopped parsley, and mix well while cooking over low heat for 1 minute.
  5. Serve immediately with finely grated Pecorino Romano on top.

Recipe Notes

Red chillies vary in heat, so adjust the amount as needed. The sauce should be spicy without losing the tomato taste.