Spaghetti all’ arrabbiata

Serves
1red pepper 1green pepper 4tbsp olive oil 5 unsmoked bacon or pancetta rashers, any rinds removed, diced ½ – 1 fresh green chilli, halved, seeded and thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped 2tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley salt and black pepper 500g (1lb) spaghetti shavings of parmesan cheese to serve.
Melt 30g (1oz) butter with 2tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add 3 crushed garlic cloves and ½ – tsp crushed dried red chillies (chilli flakes), and cook gently. Drain 1×400g (14oz0 can chopped tomatoes, stir the slowly to a boil. Simmer until reduced and thickened, add ¼ tsp dried oregano, and season with salt and black pepper. Toss with the spaghetti, and serve at once.

A specialty of Amatrice, near Rome, this tomato-based sauce is spiked with chilli and garlic, and richly flavoured with diced bacon and roast peppers.

1- Halve the red and green peppers, and remove the cores and seeds. Roast and peel the peppers. Cut the flesh into thin strips.
2- Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the bacon, and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes or until crisp. Add the roasted pepper strips and the chilli, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
3- Add the tomatoes and parsley and cook for 3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
4- Cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions .
5- Drain the spaghetti thoroughly. Add the sauce and toss with the spaghetti. Serve at once, topped with Parmesan cheese shavings.