Vodka, Penne Alla
Coming up next in our adventure in the pasta alphabet, we now land on a letter that would otherwise be very tricky if it weren’t for a particular spirit, that being V, and I can’t think of a more valuable dish for this journey than a classic penne alla vodka.
Penne alla vodka is a true Italian classic involving a light tomato sauce that’s had vodka and heavy cream added to it. It’s great to serve to vegetarians and is ideal for an easy weeknight dinner.
Serves 4
Salt
1 pound penne or any pasta
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large shallots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
A pinch of chili flakes
1/2 cup vodka
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 (15oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for topping
In a pot of salted boiling water, add the penne and cook until al dente, or about 7-9 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
While the pasta cooks, heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat until the butter starts sizzling. Add the shallots, garlic, and chili flakes, then cook for about 2 minutes, or until the shallots soften.
Carefully add the vodka, then cook for about 3 minutes more, or until the vodka reduces by half. Add the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes, bring that to a simmer, then let it go for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken.
Stir in the pasta, heavy cream, and 1/4 cup of pasta water, then toss to combine. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, and add more pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Top with basil and cheese, then serve.
