Pasta with Roasted Tomato & Red Chile Arrabiata
Submitted by Gail
Roasted tomato and red chile arrabiata sauce with New Mexico chile, garlic, oregano, and cilantro over pasta. A Southwestern twist on Italian arrabiata with fire-roasted depth.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
60 minREADY
70 minThis arrabiata crosses the Atlantic. Instead of the usual Italian red pepper flakes, a dried New Mexico chile gets roasted alongside whole tomatoes until both are charred and smoky. Everything goes through a food processor into a coarse, chunky sauce with serious depth.
Roasting tomatoes at 500°F (260°C) until the skins blacken concentrates their flavor dramatically. The sugars caramelize, the water cooks off, and what’s left is a thick, sweet, smoky pulp that no canned tomato can replicate. Include the charred skins and pan juices. That’s where the roasted flavor lives.
The chile roasts faster than the tomatoes, so pull it out after 5-7 minutes when it’s evenly dark brown. Remove the stem and seeds, then process the flesh into the sauce.
Kitchen Tips
- Pierce the tomatoes near their stems before roasting. This prevents them from bursting and splattering in the hot oven
- Line the pans with foil for easy cleanup. Blackened tomato juice and chile residue are stubborn to scrub off
- Pulse the food processor, don’t puree. You want a coarse, chunky texture, not a smooth sauce
- A touch of sugar balances the acidity from the charred tomatoes. Taste and adjust before serving
Variations
- Spicier version: Use a dried ancho or chipotle chile instead of New Mexico for deeper, smokier heat
- Italian classic: Skip the cilantro and New Mexico chile, use crushed red pepper flakes and fresh basil for a traditional arrabiata
- Low-fat pasta night: This sauce is naturally low in fat with just one tablespoon of olive oil for the whole batch
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
With a fork, pierce the tomatoes near their stem ends.
Put them in a baking pan lined with aluminum foil.
Put the chile in a separate foil-lined pan.
Put both pans in the oven.
Roast the chile until it turns evenly dark brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove it from the oven and set it aside.
Continue roasting the tomatoes until their skins are evenly blackened, about 45 minutes.
With your hands, split open the chile and remove its stem and seeds.
Break its flesh and skin into a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
Pulse the machine on and off several times until the chile is finely chopped.
Add the tomatoes to the processor, including their skins and any juices that have collected in the pan.
Pulse the machine until the tomatoes are chopped to a coarse puree.
In a large saucepan or skillet, heat the oil with the garlic over moderate heat.
When the garlic begins to brown, add the tomato-chile mixture and stir in the sugar and olive oregano.
Simmer until thick but still slightly liquid, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cilantro and serve over cooked pasta.
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