‘Arrabiata’ in Italian translates to angry. In Penne All’arrabiata, it refers to the fiery kick of the pasta’s chilli-spiked tomato sauce. Growing up with spicy food made me interested in learning and cooking penne all’arrabiata. The recipe was also easy for beginners like me.
A lot about this dish is unknown, but it was said to have originated from Rome. The dish consists of penne, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and red chilli peppers. However, there were many variations of this recipe. I think the fact that a lot of Italians became migrants made them more flexible in their recipe. The scarcity of ingredients for Italian cooking in a foreign land made them utilize whatever they have on hand.
And so I tweak this recipe to be palatable to my liking. I like my pasta with protein or vegetables, so I added canned tuna to the pasta. Hence, a dish that was traditionally an entree becomes filling as a main course. I also added more red chili flakes and dried oregano for an extra punch of flavour.
As I brought it to the food fair, I plated it on a red container, to match the theme, with parmesan on the side. It was simpler than the dishes that other students brought, but some people enjoyed it. Ultimately, pasta, whatever the type, is comfort food that can never go wrong.
Overall, I feel okay about my cooking. I think it was good enough for beginners like me. But next time, I might challenge myself even further by trying out more advanced recipes. Maybe one day I can make desserts like croquembouche. Who knows?
Annette's Taste of Europe 