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Penne Ala Vodka

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • 1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust to taste
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Pasta:

  • 1 pound 16 ounces penne pasta
  • Salt for boiling water

For Garnish (optional):

  • Fresh basil leaves chopped
  • Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients:

  1. Mince the garlic, chop the onion finely, and measure out all other ingredients.
  2. Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Make the Sauce:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped onion. Sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  2. Pour in the vodka and let it simmer for about 2 minutes, allowing the alcohol to cook off and the flavors to meld.
  3. Add the crushed tomatoes to the skillet, stirring well to combine with the onion and garlic mixture. Simmer the sauce for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer gently for another 5 minutes until the sauce is creamy and well-combined.
  5. Season the sauce with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Adjust the seasoning according to your preference for spice and flavor.

Combine Pasta and Sauce:

  1. Add the cooked and drained penne pasta to the skillet with the vodka tomato cream sauce. Toss the pasta gently until it is well coated with the sauce.
  2. Let the pasta simmer in the sauce for an additional 2-3 minutes over low heat, allowing the flavors to meld together.

Serve:

  1. Once the pasta is heated through and coated evenly with the sauce, remove the skillet from the heat.
  2. Serve the Penne alla Vodka hot, garnished with chopped fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.