Recipe courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli
Recipe courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli
Watch how to make this recipe.
Penne with 9-Minute alla Vodka Sauce and Cherry Tomatoes
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- Level: Easy
- Total: 30 min
- Active: 20 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 396
- Total Fat
- 13 g
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 51 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Protein
- 16 g
- Cholesterol
- 24 mg
- Sodium
- 538 mg
What is it about saying “Penne alla Vodka” that makes people immediately pull a chair up to the table? This dish will make people come in from the backyard and put down their phones. The creamy aspect of this sauce, the sharp flavor the vodka adds and the textural “pop” of the cherry tomatoes make this dish a winner every time. If you cook without alcohol, make it without the vodka and add a tiny splash of apple cider vinegar at the end instead. Penne is the classic shape for this but penne’s distant cousins rigatoni or ziti could work here too…. Just don’t tell Grandma or your local red sauce joint.
- Level: Easy
- Total: 30 min
- Active: 20 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 396
- Total Fat
- 13 g
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 51 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Protein
- 16 g
- Cholesterol
- 24 mg
- Sodium
- 538 mg
Ingredients
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Directions
- Cook the pasta: In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous handful of salt. Bring the water back up to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Stir the pasta occasionally with a slotted spoon to make sure it does not clump or stick to the bottom. In a large colander, drain the pasta. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid in case.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a large high-sided skillet or braiser, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt. Add the red pepper flakes and cook 1 to 2 minutes to soften, then stir in the tomato paste. Cook 1 minute more then add the diced tomatoes and sugar. Cook for an additional 3 minutes over high heat, stirring from time to time. Add the vodka and cook another 2 minutes. Add the cream. Taste for seasoning. Transfer the sauce to a blender and purée until smooth. Return the sauce to the skillet.
- Assemble: Add the hot pasta right from the colander to the skillet and carefully toss to coat with the sauce. Stir in the cherry tomatoes. Shut the heat off and allow the pasta to “rest” for 5 to 8 minutes. If the sauce is too thin, gently warm and reduce over low heat for 1 to 2 additional minutes. If too thick, simply thin it out with some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid. Serve the pasta topped with the Parmesan.
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