Penne alla Vodka
Are you are craving a creamy, luxurious pasta sauce?.. ..Well then “Penne alla Vodka” will totally satisfy your desire..
It is incredibly easy to prepare so you’ll have your decadent fix in minutes. Have a good quality penne pasta on hand…. I like the brand, Barilla.
We start the sauce by sauteeing minced onion with either bacon, pancetta or guanciale… Some recipes include butter at this point…however, if you are using bacon, then there is plenty of fat and flavor ..but that’s your choice…….I usually add olive oil to the pan if I am using pancetta as it is not as fatty.
After onion and bacon are nicely browned, (I reserve some for top of the pasta when serving) Then add minced garlic and saute for another minute.
Add the vodka to the saute pan……CAUTION: take the pan off the burner before adding vodka… the combination of oil and alcohol will produce a large flame in your saute pan…so be careful.
After the flame subsides.. add the pre -prepared basic marinara sauce…I make my marinara sauce a day ahead to have it ready for this recipe… (click here for recipe)
The heavy cream is the last ingredient and….yes… I highly recommend the heavy cream…. I tried it with light cream and half and half…not the same. … so I just do some extra cardio tomorrow….
Simmer for a few minutes …adjust seasoning with salt, pepper if needed….and there you have it …a beautiful creamy pink sauce..
Boil the penne pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water…drain and reserve some of the pasta water to thin the sauce if needed…. Transfer the drained pasta to the sauce and stir to combine well….sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and serve immediately….add some chopped fresh parsley or basil if you like….Tell me that isn’t good… Buon Appetito!
Enjoy ….Kathleen Barbato, 3 Italian Sisters♥
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil- (optional)
- 3 strips of bacon or pancetta or guanciale
- 1 small onion minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup of Vodka
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 2 cups of pre -made marinara sauce
- 1 pint of heavy cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- salt, black pepper or red pepper flakes as needed
- 1 tbsp. fresh parsley or basil, chopped
- Add oil or butter to a large saute pan. Add onion and t pancetta or bacon and saute till browned Then add garlic and cook for additional minute.
- Take pan off of heat and pour in vodka- simmer till liquor is cooked off- it may flame up…be careful!
- Add marinara sauce and then heavy cream; Simmer for few minutes and season sauce with salt, pepper as needed.
- Cook pasta in boiling salted water for 8 minutes
- Drain pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Add drained pasta to sauce and toss to combine and coat pasta.
- Add reserved pasta water to loosen sauce if necessary.
- Sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese and fresh parsley or basil and serve…
