Penne alla Vodka
Quick answer
Penne alla vodka combines tomato puree, heavy cream, and a splash of vodka into a smooth, coral-colored sauce.
What makes this special
- A splash of vodka extracts tomato aromatics for this smooth, coral-colored cream sauce pasta.
- Vodka extracts tomato aromatics then cooks off in one minute
- Cream wraps around tomato acidity to smooth the flavor bridge
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook 220 g penne about 1 m...
- 2 Finely chop 60 g onion. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a wide pan over low heat...
- 3 Add 2 tablespoons vodka and raise the heat to medium-low.
Penne alla vodka combines tomato puree, heavy cream, and a splash of vodka into a smooth, coral-colored sauce. The vodka helps release flavor compounds in the tomato that are not soluble in water or fat alone, then cooks off to leave only a subtle warmth. Butter-softened onions and a pinch of chili flakes round out the base before cream is stirred in on low heat. The tubular shape of penne catches the thick sauce inside each piece. Controlling noodle texture and sauce coating helps the ingredients cook evenly while keeping the final seasoning balanced.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Finish
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook 220 g penne about 1 minute less than the package time.
Reserve some pasta water before draining, so the sauce can loosen without becoming watery.
- 2Control
Finely chop 60 g onion.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a wide pan over low heat, add the onion, and cook for about 3 minutes until it looks translucent and softened, without letting it brown.
- 3Step
Add 2 tablespoons vodka and raise the heat to medium-low.
Let it bubble for just about 1 minute, scraping the pan lightly, until the sharp alcohol smell softens but a subtle aroma remains.
- 4Control
Stir in 250 ml tomato puree and 0.5 teaspoon chili flakes.
Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the color deepens and the sauce thickens enough to leave brief tracks.
- 5Control
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and stir in 120 ml heavy cream gradually.
Do not let the sauce boil. Add 25 g parmesan and stir until it melts smoothly into a coral-colored sauce.
- 6Finish
Add the drained penne to the sauce and toss over low heat for about 1 minute.
If it feels too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until each tube is glossy and coated.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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