Penne alla Vodka
Tomato, cream, vodka and parmigiano.
Maui's an app that plans a whole week of dinners like this one. See how it works ↓
The vodka isn't a gimmick - alcohol dissolves flavor compounds in tomato that water alone can't reach (specifically the alcohol-soluble aromatics). You can make it without and it's still good, just less round and less perfumed. The 3-min reduction step cooks off most of the alcohol.
Ingredients
Everything below makes 4 servings.
- 1 lbpenne
- ⅓ cuptomato paste
- 14 ozcanned crushed tomatoes
- ⅓ cupvodka
- ½ cupheavy cream
- 1 largeshallotfinely diced
- 3garlic clovesminced
- 2 tbspunsalted butter
- 2 tbspolive oil
- ½ tspred pepper flake
- ½ cupparmigiano-reggianofreshly grated
- ¼ cupfresh basiltorn
- 1 tspkosher salt
In the app these rescale to however many people you're feeding.
Nutrition
Per serving, as written.
- 720calories
- 22gprotein
- 85gcarbs
- 30gfat
Swaps move these numbers. A different protein or base changes them.
Instructions
Knife work first, then the stove. Nothing below asks you to chop while something burns.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil for the pasta.
- Finely dice the shallot; mince 3 garlic cloves.
- Tear a small handful of basil; grate the parmigiano.
- Measure out the vodka - keep close to the stove.
Soften
Melt butter and olive oil in the skillet over medium. Add shallot and a pinch of salt; cook 4-5 min until soft and translucent. Add garlic and red pepper flake; cook 30 sec until fragrant.
5 min · hands onBloom tomato paste
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 2-3 min, stirring constantly, until it darkens to brick red and smells caramelized. This step builds the deep, almost-burnt sweetness.
3 min · hands onDeglaze with vodka
Pour in the vodka - it will sizzle hard. Stir and simmer 2-3 min until the raw alcohol smell is gone and the liquid has reduced by about half. The vodka pulls flavor compounds out of the tomato paste that water can't.
3 min · hands onSimmer sauce
Add the crushed tomatoes and remaining salt. Simmer 8-10 min until thickened and the oil pools on top. Meanwhile, drop pasta into the boiling water and cook 1 min less than package. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
10 min · hands offCream and marry
Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream - sauce turns blush pink and silky. Add drained pasta and 1/4 cup pasta water and toss vigorously 60 sec to coat. Add more pasta water by the splash if dry.
2 min · hands onFinish
Off heat, stir in half the parmigiano and half the basil. Plate, then top with remaining cheese, basil, and a final crack of pepper.
1 min · hands onMake it yours
Every swap here is one Maui already knows how to make, including what it does to the timing.
Sear 1 lb cubed chicken thigh 6 min, fold into sauce at the end. Adds about 10 minutes.
Sear 1 lb shrimp 90 sec/side, fold in at the end. Adds about 5 minutes.
Brown 1 lb crumbled sausage at step 1, then build sauce on top - breaks halal. Adds about 8 minutes.
Dress arugula with lemon and olive oil while sauce simmers. Adds about 5 minutes.
What keeps
Sauce keeps 4 days fridge / 2 months freezer (freeze before adding cream - add fresh on reheat). Cook pasta fresh; reheat sauce with a splash of cream or pasta water.
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