Penne alla Vodka

On does not usually associate vodka with tomato sauce, which makes the origin of "Penne alla vodka" something of a mystery.

Some food historians date the dish back to Bologna, Italy... but most believe it was created in the melting pot of America. 

I believe the story that chef Luigi Franzese of the New York City restaurant Orsini needed to quickly thin a tomato sauce. He saw a bottle of Russian vodka and poured it in...creating Penne alla Russa which I think is a fitting name. 

Wherever this dish came from doesn't really matter... it is a hit, and you can find it on the menu of most Italian restaurants... a favorite standard of Italian-American cuisine; that is easy to make at home.

The vodka is used the way wine is usually added to many Mediterranean dishes. It adds a bright flavor that really shows off the tomatoes and gives the sauce a boldness that is much more complex than ordinary tomato sauce. 

Penne alla Vodka

by Diane Balch

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: entree pasta vodka tomatoes Italian

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Ingredients (4 to 6 servings)

• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced and salted
• 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup of vodka
• 1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of cream
• 1/4 cup of fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
• Parmesan cheese for garnish
• salt and pepper
• 1 pound of penne rigate pasta

Instructions:

1) Put pasta water on to boil with 2 tablespoons of salt in it.

2) In a large skillet on medium heat saute the garlic and red pepper flakes in the olive oil. Do not brown the garlic.

3) Add the vodka once the garlic has cooked in the oil for about 1 minute. Turn the heat up to high and bring the sauce to a boil.

4) Lower to a simmer and stir and cook for about 3 minutes to reduce the vodka a bit.

5) Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil again. Let simmer while you stir for about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and add the cream and parsley with some salt and pepper. Leave it on the warm burner and stir until the pasta is ready.

6) When the pasta is cooked add it to the skillet and stir until it is coated. Sprinkle the dish with parmesan cheese. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Great with a light green salad.

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