It was a crazy week! I miss the quiet days on the ranch… the slower pace…. the time for slow cooked dinners and long nights. This was a week of quick dinners, easy recipes and no time for grocery shopping, so it was a fall back on family favorites and basic ingredients. And what is better than a bowl of homemade pasta with an easy, quick, beautiful ( I eat with my eyes) and flavorful sauce.
We love Pasta Alla Vodka – perfectly hearty and tender spaghetti pasta ( it is usually made with penne pasta but the men in my kitchen love spaghetti), tossed with a creamy and vibrant tomato based and vodka infused sauce that’s seasoned with fresh herbs and parmesan. Talk about a delicious, quick and easy dinner recipe! You can make the sauce while the pasta is cooking! And if you have time, make some home made pasta.
Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.
Sophia Loren
So what flavor does the vodka add to the vodka sauce? Well, since a lot of the alcohol is cooked off you aren’t left with a alcoholic vodka taste, rather it just boosts and intensifies the flavors of the tomatoes. And then I really believe the key to making the vodka sauce extra amazing is using tomato paste. I’ve tried everything from fresh tomatoes to canned tomatoes (sometimes this is all I have in the pantry and it is also works and tastes great), but tomato paste (also known as tomato purée in some places) gives the best taste and consistency. It’s a vibrant and concentrated tomato flavor. And the added bonus is that you don’t need to spend ages cooking the sauce down.
So, looking for a quick & tasty weekend dinner?
Looking for the perfect meal for date night?
Want a dish with a little zing to it?
Then this Pasta alla Vodka is for you! Recipe on next page.
Best Spaghetti alla Vodka
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1½ cups diced onion
- 1½ tsp. kosher salt divided
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- fresh chili to taste, chopped
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1 28 oz. can tomatoes paste ( or chopped tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 16 oz. dried pasta
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley or basil for garnish
For a meaty version you can add 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into strips and cooked with the onion and garlic.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat olive oil in a deep pan over medium heat; add onion, 1½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and chillies; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.
- Add vodka; cook, stirring to release browned bits from bottom of pan.
- Add tomato paste to pan. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium low.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon sugar; simmer until flavorful about 15 minutes.
- Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until package directions for al dente.
- Drain pasta in a colander and coat with good glug of olive oil.
- Remove tomato sauce from heat. Stir cream and ½ cup Parmesan cheese until combined.
- Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and herbs.