Description
A spicy, tangy weeknight pasta tossed in a glossy Calabrian chili–tomato–garlic sauce accented with fennel and finished with a touch of honey and vinegar.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra‑virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- ½ medium fennel bulb, finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp Calabrian chili paste (or ¾ tsp red chili flakes)
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 8 oz dried pasta (rigatoni, mezzi rigatoni, mafaldine, or fusilli lunghi)
- Reserved pasta water (about ¾ cup)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat oil with onion, fennel, and garlic over medium‑low until soft and jammy, about 15 min.
- Add chili paste (or flakes) and a pinch of salt; cook 1–2 min until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and honey; cook on medium for 4–5 min until it caramelizes and oil turns bright red.
- Remove from heat, stir in vinegar. Sauce should be punchy, as it’ll mellow when tossed with pasta.
- Meanwhile, boil salted water, cook pasta to al dente, reserving ~¾ cup pasta water, then drain.
- Toss pasta with sauce and pasta water until evenly coated. Adjust seasoning/spice to taste; serve immediately.
Notes
- Fennel adds sweet, caramelized anise flavor—substitute 1 stalk celery + 1 tsp fennel seeds if needed.
- Calabrian chili pastes (e.g., Tutto Calabria, Delallo, Trader Joe’s Bomba) vary in heat—start small.
- Make sauce up to 2 days ahead; reheat before tossing with freshly cooked pasta.
- Leftover sauce is vibrant and flavorful on its own.