Ingredients
Arrabbiata Sauce
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp garlic scapes, finely chopped (about 5 scapes)
- 4 calabrian chili peppers in oil, or ½ tsp red chili flakes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme, destemmed and minced (or 1 tsp dried)
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To Serve
- 12 oz dry pasta
- fresh lemon juice, to serve
Method
- Before starting your sauce, start heating up a large pot of salted water for the pasta. Add the dry pasta to the pot to cook once the cherry tomatoes are in the pan.
- Preheat a medium skillet or pot over medium-low. Once hot, add in the olive oil. Allow it to warm up and shimmer before adding in the garlic scapes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the calabrian chili peppers (or red chili flakes) and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2 minutes. Do not burn the garlic scapes.
- Add in the cherry tomatoes in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir occasionally and allow the tomatoes to begin "popping" on their own (do not squish them at this stage). *Reminder to start your pasta, cook according to package directions.
- Cook the tomatoes until they begin to lighten in colour, blister, and burst. Be careful of splattering when the tomato juice hits the hot oil. Once they're mostly all broken down (about 8 minutes), add in the chopped fresh thyme and begin carefully pressing down on some of the cherry tomatoes that haven't burst.
- Cook for another 6 minutes until the sauce has thickened considerably. Taste for seasoning before tossing with the cooked and drained pasta. Stir well and optionally serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and top with fresh parmesan or grana padano.