Pasta Alla Vodka
Updated February 26, 2019
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Ali Slagle.
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 pound rigatoni or penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces diced pancetta, optional
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
¾ cup vodka
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
70 grams carbs; 50 milligrams cholesterol; 640 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 25 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 738 milligrams sodium; 18 grams protein; 10 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water). Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Heat the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet or pot over medium. Add the pancetta, if using, and fry until crispy, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, add the vodka and cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 3
Stir in the tomatoes and then fill the can halfway with water and swish it around to loosen up any leftover tomatoes; add a quarter to half of the water to the pan. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 10 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. If you prefer your sauce a little looser, go ahead and add the remaining water and simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Reduce heat to low, add the cream and cook, stirring, until the sauce becomes an even pinkish-rust color, about 1 minute.
- Step 4
Stir in the cooked pasta and ¼ cup cheese; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, top with additional cheese, if desired, and sprinkle with the oregano and parsley.
Private Notes
Comments
The point of the Vodka, or any alcohol in a recipe, is to extract flavor compounds out of the ingredients that do not dissolve in water. In step 2 here, the vodka is getting lots of flavors out of the pancetta pieces, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, and all the yummy bits cooked onto the bottom of the pan. The flavors that come from foods and spices may dissolve best in water, some in alcohol, some in fats like butter or pancetta fat, and some in acidic liquid like lemon juice.
Serviceable, but Pasta Alla Vodka it is not, quite. When I worked under famed chef Stefano Formaggio near Bologna in the 1980s, he would have resigned his commission before using crushed tomatoes instead of whole. Pecorino Romano was the only cheese ever seriously considered, ideally from a ewe sequestered for seven Sundays and made to listen to to Verdi. And in game involving the whole village, the vodka was sneaked from the liquor cache of the oldest man in town. Try it, it makes a difference.
Maybe instead of using just tap water, use some of the pasta water because the starch makes it thicker, therefore actually thickening the sauce (if you want it thicker)
Five stars. Added 1 lb mild Italian sausage, a Parmesan rind, and simmered for 2–3 hours before adding the cream. Served over homemade rigatoni, but good rigatoni works too. Save some of the pasta water. My family loved it, and the leftovers have become legendary.
Delicious! didn't add any water and sauce consistency is perfect for me. used homemade bacon. agree with starting pasta later after tomatoes go in.
Try making it with fire-roasted crushed tomatoes! Makes the flavor more complex