Description
A creamy and flavorful Penne alla Vodka recipe featuring a rich tomato-cream sauce infused with vodka, fresh basil, and parmesan cheese for an elegant yet simple Italian-inspired dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 small onion, chopped finely
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil, sliced thin (optional, to taste)
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Boil a generously salted pot of water and cook the penne pasta al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté onions: In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Sauté the finely chopped onion for about 5 minutes until softened or lightly browned.
- Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze with vodka: Pour in the vodka and let it bubble for about 30 seconds to cook off the alcohol and infuse flavor.
- Add tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste until the sauce is smooth and well combined.
- Incorporate cream and simmer: Stir in the heavy cream, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the sauce warm through, allowing it to thicken for a couple of minutes.
- Season and add basil: Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in fresh basil if using.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Toss the drained pasta with the sauce. If needed, thin the sauce with a splash of hot pasta water before adding the pasta.
- Serve: Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese on top if desired.
Notes
- Do not substitute heavy cream with milk or half-and-half to avoid curdling and to maintain sauce thickness and richness.
- Use high-quality tomato paste, preferably sold in tubes like DeLallo or Mutti brands for best flavor.
- This recipe makes 4 reasonably sized portions; for larger or hungrier servings, consider doubling the recipe.
- Any skillet works for cooking; a 10.25″ Le Creuset skillet was used in the original preparation.
- Pair this rich pasta dish with a light salad to balance the meal.
- This recipe appears on page 23 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
