Vodka

After much consideration I decided to break my Joy of Cooking virginity by using a recipe I found in there last night. Since I spent much of the my day at work doing manual labor (Archiving: Like Filing, But 50 Lbs Heavier!) so I wanted something easy, quick but of course delicious and hey, if it involved a good amount of booze that was just icing on the cake.

Vodka-laced icing, that is.

Oh yes, let’s make some Penne with Vodka Sauce from The (fabulous) Joy of Cooking



One of the simplest and popular Italian dishes. Easy to make. SO EASY to eat. Delicioso.

You will need:

1 28 oz can of plum tomatoes (go for the good stuff)
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced.
½ cup good quality vodka (not necessarily Grey Goose. But not Zhenka either)
½ tsp red pepper
½ cup heavy cream (boo yeah)
1 lb cooked penne rigate (you can use regular penne. (I just like the rigate because it holds the sauce better).
Few tbsp of olive oil.


Heat a large pan over medium heat with the olive oil.

Cook the diced onion for about 5 minutes/until soft.


While you are doing this you can either chop up your plum tomatoes OR do as I do and whirl them up in the food processor for a few pulses.




Add the garlic to the onions in the pan and cook for a minute. Then pour in chopped tomatoes (WITH sauce), vodka and red pepper.



Simmer rapidly for 10 minutes.



Add heavy cream and heat through for another three or four minutes.



Stir the hot, cooked pasta into the sauce.



Salt and pepper to taste and garnish with fresh chopped basil if desired.



This is one of Adam's new favorite dishes though he was dubious at first about the whole vodka thing (he is not a fan). But you know most of it cooks off to just leave this hint of vodka that melds perfectly with the tomatoes and onions and garlic. Really a wonderful, simple dish.