Salsa all’Arrabiata (Enraged Sauce)

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This recipe is from Giuliano Bugialli as profiled by Nancy Gerlach, who 
met him in Rome. She commented: “This in an all-purpose sauce that can 
be used on a variety of pastas. To really 'enrage' the sauce, replace 
the crushed New Mexican chile with chiltepíns or piquin chiles.”

Ingredients

3 pounds fresh Roma or plum tomatoes, cut in half or substitute 1 
16-ounce can of peeled Italian tomatoes
2 teaspoons crushed red New Mexican chile
3 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or oregano

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the cut tomatoes side down on a cookie pan and bake in the oven 
for 10 minutes or until they are soft. Puree the tomatoes, place in a 
saucepan, and simmer.
In a large skillet, saute the chile and garlic in the oil until the 
garlic is soft.
Add the chile mixture and sugar to the tomatoes. Season with the black 
pepper and salt and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens.
Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh herbs.

Puttanesca Sauce

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The origins of this sauce are obscured in legend and lore. In Italian, 
salsa puttanesca literally means "harlot's sauce" and was thought to be 
a favorite meal of prostitutes because it was nourishing--and quick to 
make. Another source implies that it was a favorite sauce of married 
ladies who were having an affair; they would come home late and make 
this rich sauce which smelled as though it had been cooking all day. It 
can be served over your favorite pasta; or, spread it on Italian bread, 
top with parmesan cheese, and broil it for a hearty sandwich.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup onion, minced
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped black olives
2 tablespoons fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon crushed red New Mexican chile
1 cup beef or chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet and saute the garlic, onion, and 
capers for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for 1 minute. 
Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the stock and salt and pepper, 
and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and add 1/2 cup of the stock 
and stir. Cover and simmer 15 minutes; stir again and add more stock if 
the mixture starts getting too thick. Simmer, uncovered, for another 15 
minutes. The mixture should be slightly thick and chunky.

Salsa Pimentón

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The hotbed of chiles in Spain is the valley of La Vera, where the 
pimientos (chiles) are grown and smoked to make the famous spice 
pimentón de la Vera. The majority of the pimentón goes to the sausage 
factories, where it is used to spice up, flavor, and brighten up the 
famous Spanish chorizo. But it is also packed in tins for the consumer 
market. There are three varieties of pimentón--sweet (dulce), hot 
(picante), and bittersweet (agridulce). The hot type is used in winter 
soups, chorizo, and Galician pulpo, or octopus. The octopus is boiled 
and sliced, then sprinkled with olive oil, salt, and hot pimentón 
powder. Interestingly, there are recipes for chorizo and potato stews 
that utilize all three of the types of pimentón. Serve this sauce over 
grilled seafood and chicken.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium purple onion, chopped
3 tablespoons hot pimentón
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 cup minced green olives

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the garlic, onion, and 1 
tablespoon of pimentón and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes 
and bell peppers and cook until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. 
Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender or food processor. Add 
the remaining pimentón and the olives and puree. Transfer the sauce back 
to the pan and keep warm.

Romesco Sauce

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Romesco is a classic Spanish sauce that is served with a wide variety of 
dishes, including the famous tortilla Española from the Tarragona 
region, this classic Catalan sauce combines almonds with two of the most 
popular horticultural imports from the New World—chiles and tomatoes. 
The sauce gets its name from the romesco chile, but these are not 
readily available outside Spain. A combination of ancho and New Mexican 
chiles approximates the flavor.

Ingredients

1 ancho chile, stem and seeds removed
2 dried red New Mexican red chiles, stems and seeds removed
1/2 cup toasted almonds
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tomatoes, unpeeled
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200ºF.
Place the chiles, almonds, garlic, and tomatoes on a baking pan and 
roast in the oven until the nuts are toasted, the chiles are fragrant, 
and the skins of the tomatoes and garlic are blistered. The nuts will 
take about 5 minutes, the tomatoes about 20, and the chiles somewhere in 
between. Check frequently to be sure nothing burns.
Allow the ingredients to cool. Place the almonds in a spice mill or 
coffee grinder and process to a powder. Place the chiles in a bowl, 
cover with hot water, and allow them to steep for 15 minutes to soften. 
Drain the chiles and discard the water. Remove the skins from the 
tomatoes and garlic.
Put the almonds, chiles, tomatoes, garlic, and vinegar in a blender or 
food processor and puree to a smooth paste, adding a little oil if 
necessary.
Transfer the paste to a bowl and slowly whisk in the oil, 1 teaspoon at 
a time, until half of the oil is absorbed. Gradually add the remaining 
oil. Season with the salt and pepper.
Allow the sauce to sit for an hour or two to blend the flavors.

Espelette Piperade

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The most famous chile in France is piment d’ Espelette, or the Espelette 
pepper, and it has become a cultural and culinary icon in the French 
part of Basque country. At first the Espelette farmers formed 
cooperative enterprises to protect their interests, and eventually they 
applied to the National Institute for Trade Name Origins for an 
Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC). On December 1, 1999, an AOC was 
granted to Espelette peppers and products, giving it the same protection 
as more famous names, such as Champagne sparkling wine. Only ten 
villages are allowed to use the name “Espelette”: Espelette, Ainhoa, 
Cambo les Bains, Halsou, Itsassou, Jatsou, Laressore, St. Pee sur 
Nivelle, Souraide, and Ustarritz. The total growing area is about 3,000 
acres. Piperade is a colorful pepper sauce that is only spicy when made 
in the Basque region. This simple but delicious sauce is often served at 
the Celebration of the Peppers in the village of Espelette. Serve it 
over boiled potatoes and green beans.

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
4 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic
4 green bell peppers, seeds and stems removed, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeds and stems removed, chopped
4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons Espelette powder, or more to taste (substitute hot paprika 
or New Mexico red chile powder)
Pinch of thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large saute pan and saute the onions and 
garlic for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell peppers and 
cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and Espelette 
powder and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme, 
salt, and pepper and transfer to a bowl. For a smooth sauce, puree this 
mixture in small batches in a blender or food processor.