Ridiculously Good Recipes

Angry Pasta

This recipe is so good – I was making it tonight and realised this was too good to keep to myself :) I need to put in a disclaimer however. This recipe came from someone who actually lived in Italy, and I was told it was “authentically Italian” (it is actually called Canneroni All Arabiata) – however, I have made my own “alterations” as I believe if a little of something is good, more is better (such as cheese, and bacon, and garlic...), so I have tweaked the amounts to suit my own tastes.

You will need:
- 2 small packages of fresh mushrooms, or one large package (large being about 500g)
- At least half a package of bacon
- 28oz diced tomatoes
- Chilli pepper seeds/crushed chilis/hot pepper flakes, whatever they are called (this makes it “angry”)
- 3-5 (or more) cloves of garlic
- At least half a brick of mozzarella (just a normal, $4 brick)
- Parmesan cheese to top
- Rotini noodles

Start by prepping the bacon. I usually have the bacon in the freezer and take it out an hour or two before I need to cook supper, then when it’s partially thawed I chop the whole thing into bacon bits (it’s easier to chop when it’s still a bit frozen) and fry the whole lot of it. Then I take out about half to use somewhere else, decide that there’s not nearly enough bacon left in my pan and put a bit more back in.
Alternately, you could fry it in strips and crumble them, but I think that’s too much mess and work.

Then you will want to prep the mushrooms. Wipe them and then dice them – I simply quarter them. You want them chunky, not sliced.

Now, the recipe actually calls for fresh tomatoes, so you could use them and dice them up...however I prefer to be lazy and I buy the canned diced tomatoes.


1. Anyway, you want to cook the bacon until well done and drain most of the fat (leave a little in for sautéing the garlic)
2. Either crush or mince the garlic (and believe me, 5 cloves is NOT too much) and add it to the cooking bacon – sauté for a minute or two and take a minute to inhale the goodness
3. Add the tomatoes – I drain off half of the liquid because I don’t like it to be too runny, but if you don’t and find that it is too runny or juicy, then add a bit of tomato paste until it looks good to you.
4. Add the mushrooms
5. Add the pepper flakes to taste, and a dash of salt. I do at least 3 shakes of pepper flakes, and then one or two more. Depends on how “angry” you like it
6. Simmer this for 20min
7. Meanwhile, cook your pasta. The rotini noodles work the best because the sauce clings to them nicely, but penne could be good as well
8. Now for another good part – cube up at least half of the mozzarella brick. When the noodles are done, drain them, then toss with the cubed cheese. Add the sauce and toss some more.

Let it stand, covered, for a minute or two to let all that yummy cheese melt

Serve hot with a steamed veggie and some garlic bread (make your own, or if you’re lazy like me then buy the D’Italiano garlic bread – it’s divine)