Pipe Rigate & Shrimp Arrabbiata
Arrabbiata means “angry” in Italian, so think of it as angry (spicy!) tomato sauce. The key to this light, fresh Pipe Rigate & Shrimp Arrabbiata that’s packed with a punch is the balance between sweet San Marzano tomatoes, spicy red pepper, and earthy parsley. Paired with fresh, crisp shrimp, this angry sauce won’t be making anyone angry at your dinner table!
Equipment
ingredients
Arrabbiata Sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp Olive Oil (OO)
- ½ Yellow Onion, diced
- ¼ tbsp Jalapeno, minced
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Stock
- 28 oz Crushed San Marzano Tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Capers, diced
- 3 leaves Fresh Basil, torn
- ½ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
- TYL* Salt & Pepper (S&P), *to your liking
Sautéd Shrimp
- 1 lb Shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil (OO)
Pipe Rigate
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 lb Pipe Rigate (GF: gluten-free rigatoni; Paleo/W30: zucchini noodles)
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano (W30: dairy-free parmesan), grated
(P.S. Use this as a checklist!)
Instructions
Get ready for a spicy infusion. Bring 5-6 qt. water to boil. Dice onion and heat 1 tbsp. OO in large skillet over med. heat. Add onion to skillet and brown for 4 min., stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, mince jalapeño (keep seeds to take the spice up a notch!) and garlic. Add 1/2 tbsp. OO to skillet, followed by jalapeño, garlic, and red pepper. Sauté for 1 min. (this where the magic *infusion* happens), until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste. Reduce heat to low.Prepare arrabbiata sauce. Next, stir in vegetable stock, followed by crushed tomatoes. Drain capers (the secret ingredient!), tear (don’t chop to preserve flavor!) basil, and chop parsley. Add to sauce and stir, along with S&P. Turn up heat to medium and allow sauce to reach a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cover with lid (leaving a small crack for air), allowing sauce to simmer for 35 min. Stir occasionally. Take a wine break!Slice and sauté shrimp. Time pasta to reach al dente when sauce is ready, adding 1 tbsp. salt and pipe rigate to boiling water. Separate shrimp into two equal piles. Slice one pile of shrimp into bite-sized pieces (~3 pieces per shrimp) and combine with second pile of full shrimp (because—variety!). Season with S&P. Add 2 tbsp. OO to large skillet over medium and add shrimp, cooking 2-3 min until pink. Remove and set aside. Don't be embarrassed if you're drooling–we understand. Taste sauce and season with extra S&P or red pepper flakes as needed. Add cooked shrimp to sauce right before pasta reaches al dente. Strain pipe rigate and combine with arrabbiata sauce. Serve immediately with a spoonful of extra sauce, a few pieces of full shrimp, a touch of parsley, and grated Pecorino Romano on top. There may be a drool-puddle on your floor by now. Apologies in advance.
Notes & Tips
- Spicy or SPICY? So, I have to say—if spice is not your thing, then this is not the recipe for you. If you like some heat but not too much, I suggest discarding most or all of the jalapeño seeds and infusing only 1 tsp. (instead of 1/2 tbsp.) red pepper into your oil. You can always add more red pepper later on until desired spice level is reached. If you like fire-in-your-mouth HOT, I suggest keeping the jalapeño seeds and only adding additional red pepper at the end when sauce is ready (and you’ve taste-tested, of course!).
- Why the variety of full- and bite-sized pieces of shrimp? I promise, this isn’t just to create more work for you! By cutting half of the shrimp into bite-sized pieces, it gifts you with a mouthful of crispy shrimp and delicious pasta in every bite (and without effort). Saving the best bite for last is SO last year.
- The zucchini noodles are calling my name! If you’re substituting pipe rigate with zucchini noodles, boil for 1 min. and drain. Pasta is whatever you want it to be!
