Rigatoni Arrabbiata

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Preheat oven to 350. Drain the chickpeas in a colander; transfer to a large bowl and mash with a fork. Add the almond butter, nutritional yeast, oats, 1/4 cup water, and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir and mash with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and resembles a moist yet thick paste; taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide the mixture into 4 portions; form each into a ball and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until firm.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir occasionally. Start tasting it after 7 minutes; it should be tender but not mushy. When it’s done, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta in a colander.Trim, peel, and slice the onion. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. When it’s hot, add the onions, bay leaf, and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions start to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Trim and slice the pepperoncini.

Add the pepperoncini to the pot and cook, stirring often until they’re fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir, crushing them with the wooden spoon. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles enthusiastically, cover, and cook, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the pasta and reserved cooking water, stir, and cook until the pasta begins to soak up the sauce, 1 or 2 minutes. Place meatballs into the sauce and pasta, and turn off heat.

Rinse the basil; strip the leaves from the stems and chop them. Remove the bay leaf from the pasta and discard it. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide the pasta and meatballs between bowls, top with the basil, and serve hot.