Pasta Alla Tequila
I think we, or many of us, have had tons of penne alla vodka, that rich and creamy tomato sauce laced with a hint of vodka for a truly unique and flavorful experience. However, the dish does make me wonder if a great pasta dish is limited to only one spirit, hence why I have chosen to try to make pasta alla tequila.
Now, I didn’t want to just take vodka pasta and swap the vodka for tequila, that seemed way to obvious and easy to me, so I’ve decided to bump it up a bit more with some classic Mexican flavors like chorizo, cumin, queso fresco, cilantro, and a hint of lime at the end.
This tequila pasta can be served in as many ways as you’d serve vodka pasta. With a salad, with bread, maybe even some black beans, and since you’ll likely have some tequila leftover you might as well whip up a margarita or two.
I’m not going to outright say that tequila pasta this will be better than vodka pasta in any way, vodka pasta sill holds a special place in my heart, but I think this tasty twist will be delicioso!
Serves 6
Salt
1/2 pound ground chorizo sausage (or 4 chorizo links, casings removed)
Olive oil
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup tequila blanco
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
1 pound rigatoni or any bite sized pasta shape you have
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco, plus more for topping
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
lime wedges, for serving
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (Should be an obvious step for most pasta dishes, but you never know.)
Heat a wide frying pan with a thin layer of oil over medium high heat. Add the chorizo and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking up the chorizo with a wooden spoon (Or potato masher), until the chorizo is browned and is no longer pink in the middle. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and pour off all but a thin layer of the grease.
Reduce the heat to medium, then add the onion to the reserved chorizo grease, and cook for a few more minutes, or until the onion softens. Stir in the cumin, garlic, oregano, then cook for another minute or until aromatic.
Take the pan off the heat and add the tequila. Bring to a simmer, then reduce by half for a few minutes. Watch your heat, for the tequila could catch on fire.
Once reduced, add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and reserved chorizo. Bring the liquid to a simmer, and let it cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
While the sauce reduces, cook your pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Don’t forget to reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
Once everything is ready, stir the cream and queso fresco into the sauce until combined and smooth. Add the pasta and 1/4 cup of pasta water, then cook for another minute or two, or until the sauce clings to the pasta. Taste the sauce and season with salt if needed, and stir in more pasta water if you want a looser sauce.
To serve, pile everything high on plates, topping with more queso fresco and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
