Spicy Calabrese Recipe
Make Spicy Calabrese Recipe in just 50m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Sauce
Proteins & Add-ins
Finishing
Serving (optional)
Method
Sauce
- 1
Prepare aromatics
Heat a large heavy skillet or wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and warm until shimmering but not smoking. Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30–45 seconds.
- 2
Build spicy base
Stir in the Calabrese chile paste (or 3 tbs Calabrian chili flakes packed) and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes to deepen the flavors and remove raw tomato taste.
- 3
Add tomatoes and season
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the red wine if using. Stir in the sugar, dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so it barely bubbles. Simmer uncovered for 18–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- 4
Finish sauce
Tear in the fresh basil leaves and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding remaining salt and pepper as needed. Keep sauce warm on the lowest heat while you prepare the proteins and pasta (if using).
Proteins & Add-ins
- 5
Cook sausage
While the sauce is simmering, heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crumbled Italian sausage (no additional oil if sausage is fatty) and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if desired, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pan for flavor.
- 6
Combine meats and extras
Add the sliced pepperoni/soppressata (if using) to the browned sausage and cook 1–2 minutes to warm and render a bit of fat. Add the halved olives and sliced roasted red peppers and toss to combine for 1 minute. Transfer this mixture into the simmering sauce and stir to incorporate. Simmer together for 3–5 minutes so flavors meld.
Finishing
- 7
Finish and garnish
Stir in the grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan and chopped parsley until melted and evenly distributed. If you want more heat, add red pepper flakes to taste. Simmer an additional 1–2 minutes, then remove from heat.
Serving (optional)
- 8
Cook pasta
If serving with pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- 9
- 10