Pasta Alla Vodka

Ingredients

• 1 medium Onion (diced small to medium pieces, trimmed of excess root flesh)
• 3 cloves Garlic (grated on a microplane)
• 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (for sautéing)
• to taste Salt (seasoning)
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste (concentrated tomato paste)
• 1 teaspoon Dried Red Chili Flakes (optional for a mild heat)
• 28 ounces Crushed Tomatoes (canned, can be diced if preferred)
• 0.5 cup Vodka (80‑proof, adds flavor and helps release tomato acids)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream (full‑fat for richness)
• 12 ounces Rigatoni Pasta (cooked al dente according to package directions)
• 0.25 cup Pecorino Romano (freshly grated for serving)
• to taste Black Pepper (freshly cracked)

Instructions

1. Prep the aromatics

   Dice the onion into small‑to‑medium pieces and grate the garlic using a microplane. Set aside.

   Time: PT5M

2. Sweat onion and garlic

   Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium‑high heat. Add the diced onion and grated garlic, sprinkle a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium‑high

3. Fry tomato paste and chilies

   Stir in the tomato paste and dried chili flakes. Fry, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes to develop a deep, caramelized flavor.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium

4. Add tomatoes

   Pour in the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and stir to combine.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium

5. Incorporate vodka

   Add the vodka, stir, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate and the flavors to meld.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: low

6. Finish with cream

   Stir in the heavy cream, mix thoroughly, and continue cooking on low for another 5 minutes until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: low

7. Blend the sauce

   Remove the skillet from heat. Using an immersion blender (or carefully transfer to a stand blender), blend the sauce until completely smooth.

   Time: PT3M

8. Cook the pasta

   While the sauce is blending, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: boiling

9. Combine pasta and sauce

   Return the sauce to the skillet, add the cooked rigatoni, and toss together. If the sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: low

10. Plate and garnish

    Serve the pasta in bowls or plates, top with freshly grated Pecorino Romano and a generous grind of cracked black pepper.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

620

Protein

20g

Carbohydrates

70g

Fat

25g

Fiber

5g