I’m sitting here on this rainy day watching Food Network. My friend (I wish) Inna Garten is on right now, and I’ve already bookmarked the episode on my computer so I can make all of the recipes at some point.
But, the first one that caught my eye was the Penne alla Vecchia Botella that she and a friend made. In real people terms, it’s tube shaped noodles with Vodka Cream Sauce.
Now, I’m not a big fan of Vodka based beverages, I’m much more of a Tequila girl, but I love me some Vodka Cream Sauce. Mainly because I love any food with a cream base.
In typical me fashion, though, there are a few changes I’d make to the recipe. Her recipe is linked above, my version (even though I haven’t tried it yet) is below.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
- 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, diced (I use the frozen garlic from Trader Joe’s)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 cup vodka
- 2 (28-ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes (San Marzano)
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 pound penne pasta
- 4 tablespoons fresh oregano
- 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Cooked, Crumbled Italian Sausage (I use what’s left over from my last batch of Gnocchi)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 additional minute. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half. Make yourself a drink while you’re at it, if that’s your thing. I’d just pour myself a nice big glass of red wine.
Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes, at least.
At this point, start your pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.
Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency (BEWARE! Make sure the mixture isn’t still HOT, or you will have a blending disaster, and some first degree burns, to deal with!).
Return to the pan and add the Italian Sausage.
Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.
Serve with some crusty buttered bread. Even better, use the bread to mop up the extra sauce.
Delicious!
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