Penne alla Vodka

Penne Alla Vodka has that perfect balance of creaminess and tartness from the tomatoes, and the vodka emulsifies the sauce so it sticks to the pasta.

4.67 from 3 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Cream, Onion, Pasta, Penne, Penne alla Vodka, Rigatoni, Tomato, Vodka

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Equipment

Pot
Stovetop
Deep frying pan or casserole dish
V-slicer or mandolin (opt.)

Ingredients

200 ml thickened pouring cream
2 tablespoon pine nuts
1 brown onion medium
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch broccolini
1.5 tablespoon olive oil
500 g rigatoni
140 g tomato paste
1.5 teaspoon chilli flakes opt.
60 ml vodka sub 40ml water and 20ml lemon juice
100 g parmesan block
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Heat a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon salt over high heat. Take your cream out of the fridge to bring to room temperature.
200 ml thickened pouring cream
Gently dry toast pine nuts, then set aside when done.
2 tablespoon pine nuts
Peel and finely dice onion. If you have a v-slicer or mandolin, this is the time to use it. Mince garlic. Trim broccolini.
1 brown onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 bunch broccolini
Heat olive oil in a deep frying pan or casserole dish over low-medium heat. Add onion and garlic and stir regularly for 5-7 minutes. If the onion looks like it is starting to colour, reduce the heat.
1 brown onion, 1.5 tablespoon olive oil, 4 cloves garlic
Once water is boiling in the pot, add the pasta and set a timer for 2 minutes less than the amount stated on the packet. Stir every so often to make sure the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
500 g rigatoni
Add tomato paste and salt and pepper (opt.) to the onions and garlic, stirring regularly for another 5-7 minutes. You want the tomato paste to darken. Hold chilli flakes to the end.
140 g tomato paste, Salt and pepper
Add vodka (or a mixture of 40ml water and 20ml lemon juice) and stir to incorporate, deglazing the pan as you do it. Turn off the heat until you’re ready to add the pasta.
60 ml vodka
When the pasta timer goes, scoop out a mugful of pasta water. Add your broccolini to the pasta and cook for 2 minutes more, then use tongs to remove from the boiling water before draining the pasta. Meanwhile, finely grate parmesan cheese.
1 bunch broccolini, 100 g parmesan
Turn on the heat under the sauce to low. Mix cream through the tomato sauce a little at a time, along with some pasta water.
200 ml thickened pouring cream
Drain pasta and add back into the sauce. Add half the parmesan and some more pasta water until you have a thick, glossy sauce. Season to taste.
Serve kids pasta topped with the remaining parmesan and broccolini on the side.
Serve adults pasta topped with parmesan, chilli flakes, broccolini and pine nuts on the side.
1 bunch broccolini, 1.5 teaspoon chilli flakes, 100 g parmesan, Salt and pepper, 2 tablespoon pine nuts

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