Creamy Penne alla Vodka

Photo: Joseph O'Connell - https://www.flickr.com/photos/joconnell/ · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

Penne in a blushing, velvety tomato cream sauce with a gentle chili kick and plenty of Parmesan. The vodka is optional, but it sharpens the tomato flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 lb penne
• 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes (half a 28 oz can)
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp butter
• ⅔ cup grated Parmesan
• fresh basil

From your pantry: 1 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp tomato paste, ¼ cup vodka (optional), ½ tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt.

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Melt the butter with the oil in a large skillet over medium and cook the onion until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper flakes for 1 minute.
2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens to brick red, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vodka if using and simmer until it smells less boozy, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes, then stir in the cream and keep warm over low.
4. Cook the penne until just shy of al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
5. Toss the penne into the sauce with the Parmesan and splashes of pasta water over medium heat until glossy and clinging, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with torn basil and more cheese.

Tip: Browning the tomato paste well is what gives this its deep, sweet flavor, so don't rush that step.

Nutrition per serving

Good for

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