Nick and Toni's Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

I've had this recipe for a long time, but only now did I make it. It was the best penne a la vodka that I've made to date. It was superb!

I made it per the recipe except I deleted the fresh oregano.

The ½ tsp of red pepper flakes hit us like a ton of flaming bricks, but after a while we got used to it and appreciated it.

Use an immersion blender, if you have one, for less work and cleanup.

It had more sauce for the amount of pasta than we are used to. MAYBE I would use 14 ounces of penne instead of the 12 ounces called for in the recipe.

We've made other recipes using vodka as an ingredient and concur with Ina that using premium vodka compared to no-name cheap vodka does make a difference. Use quality domestic brand name vodka; no need for a Swedish or Russian import.

In summary, this is a fantastic recipe. 5 Stars.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

Maybe I'm spoiled because of my Italian Grandmother. This recipe was good, but not great.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

This sauce is easy, very, very tasty, and so versatile. Not only is it great with the penne, but the sauce can be used with stuffed shells, eggplant rollatini, baked pasta, etc. A couple of words of caution. First, I am Mexican and LOVE spicy food. For me, the 1/2 tsp. of red pepper was fine, however, for those not brought up around hot and spicy,I would cut the red pepper back to 1/4 tsp. Second, unless you are wild about oregano, you might want to hold back a bit on it. Add a bit then taste. I used only 1 tsp of the dried and 1 Tbsp of the fresh and it was more than enough! All in all, a terrific recipe and one that will be in my permanent collection.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

This recipe was easy and delicious. I served it with grilled mild Italian sausage. I will be making this again in the near future.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

The most delicious pasta sauce I've made in some time.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

I have never been disappointed with any of Ina's recipes that she presents on Barefoot Contessa! I have easily made over 30 of her dishes from the show or her cookbooks and they are amazing every single time. I was gifted and purchased numerous cookbooks over the years that were full of disasters... I love Ina, I wish she was my friend, I would love cooking and decorating for dinner parties with her.
Oh, I got off-topic! This dish came out great - I made it exactly as listed. The fresh oregano was such a nice rich undertone for the whole meal. I paired this with her recipe for garlic bread with fresh parsley and oregano...my husband loved it. Every time I make one of Ina's dishes I take photos and text to my mom and brother who also love her shows and cookbooks! Thank you Ina- you are making millions off this talent of yours and you deserve it!

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

This was bowl-licking good! I have tried other recipes that just weren't saucy enough. This was plenty saucy. Actually I had sauce left over. I just put the pasta back into the pot I cooked it in and then added the sauce on top of it. If I hadn't done that, it would have been drowning in it. I am glad I have the sauce to freeze now, but next time I will cut it in half.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

Hands down this is the best penne alla vodka I have ever eaten or made. I like larger pasta, so use a nicely sized rigatoni for a better bite! I make it whenever I have a chicken dish like saltimbocca or just simply roasted and it pairs so wonderfully.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

I thought this was fabulous. I made it EXACTLY according to the recipe, using top-shelf vodka, because that's all we had. This was part of a vegetarian meal I made to celebrate a special day with my parents and they didn't miss the meat at all.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

Saw this when it aired on TV a while back. Very very good indeed. I believe roasting the tomatoes gives this dish a richer flavor. Be sure to use quality San Marzano tomatoes. It is a bit time consuming and best not to make in a hurry.