Step 1

Heat water together with salt in a pot. Bring the water to a boil.

Step 2

Add the fusilli pasta. Opt for penne pasta or rigatoni if you do not have fusilli pasta.

Step 3

On a medium to high heat, cook until the pasta is al dente or cook until softened, based on your preference.

Step 4

In a colander or strainer, strain the pasta and set aside.

Step 5

Peel and roughly chop tomatoes. Transfer them to a blender or a food chopper or processor.

Step 6

Without adding any water, blend or process to a smooth puree. Set aside.

Step 7

Heat olive oil in a pan or skillet. Add finely chopped garlic. Sauté garlic for some seconds.

Step 8

Add the crushed red chili flakes and mix with the oil and garlic. You can reduce or increase the quantity of red chili flakes as needed. Instead or red chili flakes, you can also add ½ to 1 teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne.

Step 9

Next, add the tomato puree. Add salt as per taste and mix well. Cover the pan with its lid.

Step 10

On a low heat simmer the arrabbiata sauce for 10 to 12 minutes until the raw flavor and taste of tomatoes goes away. Add some water (about ¼ cup) if the tomato puree starts sticking to the pan.

Step 11

When you see some oil specks on the sauce, this means that the arrabiata sauce is cooked.

Step 12

Add dried oregano, ground black pepper. You can also add ¼ teaspoon sugar. If the tomatoes are too tangy, then only add sugar. Mix again. You can add sugar as needed depending on the tanginess of tomatoes.

Step 13

Add the cooked pasta and mix very well, so that the sauce coats the pasta evenly.

Step 14

Switch off the heat and add 1 teaspoon chopped basil leaves. Gently mix again.

Step 15

Serve in a bowl or a deep dish garnished with grated vegetarian parmesan cheese and a few basil sprigs. You can top with your preferred cheese if you do not have parmesan cheese.

Step 16

Enjoy spicy hot arrabbiata pasta with cheese garlic bread or a simple garlic bread. It is also great to serve with a refreshing salad or a soup by the side.

Step 17

It’s best to store the sauce by itself in the fridge, and I personally like to make fresh pasta each time. However, the combined pasta with sauce is also quite delicious to enjoy as leftovers.

Step 18

Let the sauce and/or pasta cool completely before putting in an airtight container, and keep in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days.