The Many Uses of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

My first encounter with crushed red pepper flakes occurred in conjunction with my first slice of pizza.  It happened one fateful evening, probably after a high school football game. I wondered why this new hole-in-the-wall restaurant in my Pennsylvania hometown had such a strange smell.  Only later did I recognize it as the smell of hot Parmesan cheese.

By then I was a regular customer
and had also learned all about the power of the crushed red pepper flake.  I never had spicy food at home.  Thus, I had never seen these small flakes of red chili pepper interspersed with tiny yellow pepper seeds.  As soon as I realized a piece of pizza didn’t need an entire teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes sprinkled on top, I moved into my hotter, spicier life.

Now I use crushed red pepper flakes in soups and sauces, on top of meats and, of course, pizza.  Here is my recipe for Penne Arrabbiata.  Arrabbiata means “angry” in Italian.

Penne Arrabbiata – serves 4 (adapted from “Help! My Apartment Has a Dining Room”) 

1 28-ounce can tomatoes

12 ounces penne or mostaccioli pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced

2 fully cooked sausages, thinly sliced, or 8 thin slices dry salami

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like very spicy food)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese

Fill a large pot with water, cover and begin heating over high heat.  

Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Put the tomatoes and their liquid in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the tomato mixture is very thick.  Stir occasionally to make sure the tomatoes aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pot.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the water comes to a boil, add the noodles and stir so they don’t stick to each other.  Set the timer for 12 minutes (or the cooking time indicated on the package).  Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms, sausage or salami slices, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the mushrooms begin to soften.  Add the tomato mixture and heat until hot.  Cover and set aside until the noodles are done.

Drain the noodles and transfer them to a large bowl.  Pour the sauce on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Mix and serve immediately.

              For more recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!"