This recipe for Penne A La Vodka is lacto-vegetarian. It’s a “go slow” recipe, so you can enjoy a good sipping tequila while you cook it with friends. To bring out the sweetness of the onion while keeping the white color, I cook it very slowly on low heat.
Vodka and tomato just make a beautiful couple, and the tabasco gives the dish a subtle flavor pop. I think it’s super delicious served with bright green brocollini and paired with a gavi or other Italian white wine.
Recipe for Penne A La Vodka
Ingredients (serves 4)
12 oz. whole wheat penne pasta
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 medium sized red onion, small dice
3/4 cup vodka
1 cup canned tomatoes with their juice, mashed
3 dashes of Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Remigiano cheese
Method
1. Heat a 12-14” skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the diced onion and reduce the heat to low. Cook very slowly for 10 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
2. Add the vodka and cook slowly for 5 minutes at a bare simmer.
3. Mash the tomatoes in their juice so that there are no large pieces. Add them to the onion, along with the salt, pepper and tabasco sauce and cook on low for 15 minutes at barely a slow simmer.
4. Meanwhile, in a large pot, boil the whole wheat pasta according to the package instructions. It should take from 7 to 12 minutes to boil.
5. While the pasta is cooking, add the cream to the tomato mixture, mix thoroughly and hold on a low heat until ready to use.
6. When the pasta is cooked, set aside 1/2 cup of the pasta water to use in the sauce if needed, and drain the pasta.
7. Add the pasta to the sauce in the hot skillet, along with the Parmigiano-Remigiano and mix thoroughly. Add a little of the pasta water if the sauce has become dry.
Serve immediately.