My boyfriend and I are very adventurous when it comes to eating different cuisines, yet we don’t cook like that at home. So when I found out that Susan of She’s Becoming Doughmesstic has recently started a new blogging group called My Kitchen, My World, I knew I wanted to join. I figured it would be a great way to challenge myself in the kitchen. Each week, MKMW members cook and blog their way through cuisines from different countries. One big difference with this group from other groups I belong to is that once the country is announced, you have seven days to pick whatever it is YOU want to make. The recipes are not selected by someone else. This was actually really hard for me since my first week of participation was Italy… and there’s TONS of awesome Italian dishes to choose from.

I researched, and then researched some more, and some more. And then I couldn’t make a decision at all. I was originally going to prepare a full meal but life got in the way and time ran out. As it is, I’m already posting this entry a day late.

I’ve never been to Italy but it’s definitely on my list of places to go. A few years ago, my boyfriend lived in Rome for a few months while on a job assignment. I didn’t get a chance to visit him over there at that time. Of course I regret that now. Hopefully soon I’ll get to experience Italy for myself and figure out my favorite part. I’m sure food will be one of my top answers.

Anyway, I finally settled on Penne All’Arrabbiata, a well known Italian pasta dish with a spicy tomato sauce. Arrabbiata translates to “furious”, “angry” or “enraged”. I looked across the internet and found plenty of recipes calling for crushed red pepper for the heat. But I’ve had this one pasta book for a few years that I’ve never made anything out of so I decided I was going to use that book no matter what. This recipe called for dried red chiles, not crushed red pepper. I couldn’t find dried mushrooms or dried chiles so I just used fresh (which I know is not the same flavor profile as dried). Honestly, while very good, the version I made could have been a bit spicier. I was pretty conservative and the sauce tasted semi spicy all by itself, but not when it was mixed with the pasta and cheese. I don’t even think you can see the chiles in the sauce from the pictures. Still though, it was a great introduction for me to other homemade Italian recipes besides lasagne and spaghetti and meatballs. I definitely want to try this recipe again and perfect it to just that right level of “arrabbiataness”.

Penne All’Arrabbiata
adapted from The Complete Book of Pasta
serves 4

1 oz dried porcini mushrooms (I had to use fresh)
7 tablespoons butter
5 oz pancetta
1-2 dried red chiles, to taste (I had to use fresh)
8 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped
a few fresh basil leaves, torn, plus extra for garnish
3 cups fresh or dried penne
1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated (or 2/3 grated parmesan and 1/3 grated Pecorino)
salt, to taste

Soak dried mushrooms in water for 15-20 minutes (if using dried), drain. Finely chop mushrooms. Melt 4 tbsp butter in skillet. Add pancetta and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove pancetta from pan, set aside. Add mushrooms, cook over medium heat and then remove and set aside. Add chile and garlic and cook until garlic is slightly browned. Add tomatoes, basil and salt (to taste). Cook tomato mixture for 10-15 minutes, cooking the penne during this time. Add the pancetta and mushrooms to sauce, taste for seasoning and hotness and add more chile if necessary. Drain pasta, add remaining butter. Stir cheese into pasta then pour in tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Stop by the My Kitchen, My World site to see the other member’s Italian creations. Tune in next week when MK,MW goes to Greece (country selected by yours truly). I can’t wait!