Penne all' arrabbiata according to Rudolfo

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 onion(s), white or red
• 1 kg tomatoes, ripe
• 300 g cherry tomatoes
• 15 black pitted olives
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 pepperoncini, dried (Lombok)
• 2 bunches of flat-leaf parsley
• Thyme
• Salt and pepper, from the mill
• 600 g penne rigate
• possibly Parmesan

Instructions

Working time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 35 minutes

Classic Italian antipasta, variable in spiciness, adaptable to the guests

Blanch the tomatoes, peel and deseed them, finely chop the flesh, and put them through a food mill. Chop the onion and thinly slice the garlic cloves. Halve the black olives, halve the cherry tomatoes, and finely chop the chili peppers, including the seeds. Chop the parsley. Add the oil to a pan and sauté the onion, then add the passata. Add the leafy garlic and the minced chili peppers. Then add the halved cherry tomatoes and sauté for a bit. Be careful with the garlic, so it doesn’t overcook. Season with thyme, pepper, and salt. The heat of the chili peppers shouldn’t be noticeable, otherwise this dish is only fit for fire-breathing dragons. The heat of the chili peppers only becomes more or less subtle after a minute. If the consistency gets too thick, you can play firefighter with a little dry white wine. Rudolfo always uses Schilcher wine, and it should always be on hand, especially when making Arrabiata. In the meantime, around the time you’ve finished processing the tomatoes, fill a large pot with 4 liters of water, bring to a boil, and then add the appropriate amount of salt (about 3 tablespoons). Then cook the penne rigate, which looks like macaroni and is cut diagonally into short, 4-cm-long pieces with grooves on the outside (rigate), al dente. Drain the penne and—now here’s the kicker: if the pan is large enough, empty it into the pan, add the parsley, and fold everything in. If the pan is too small, add the contents of the pan to the penne in the pot, add the parsley, and proceed as before. Plate up and serve immediately. If you have too much spice for those with sensitive stomachs, you can reduce the heat by grating Parmesan cheese over the penne. The decision is – spiciness or Reggiano – or try both.