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“This Penne Alla Vodka dish is like a gourmet restaurant-quality dish, but it is surprisingly quick and easy to prepare. If you multitask and cook the pasta while making the sauce, it should take no more than 20 minutes to prepare.

Tomato paste is the key.I have tried cherry, plum, Roma, and San Marzano tomatoes to make this sauce, but, I always end up returning to tomato paste to provide a rich, creamy viscosity to the sauce.

Red pepper flakes are the fastest way to add heat, but chopped red pepper is better for adding small bursts of heat while enjoying the dish. Naturally, you can adjust the quantity of these ingredients to adjust the level of spice you desire.

Some chefs prefer running the sauce through a food processor or pureeing the sauce with a hand processor before adding the pasta. It is a matter of preference. I like the sauce a little chunky. It helps the palate experience a variety of flavors while enjoying the dish.

The origin of this dish is undetermined. The Italians claim its origin in Italy in the mid-70s. Americans claim to have developed the dish in the late ’60s by a restaurateur in Manhattan. Nonetheless, it is an amazing dish regardless of its heritage. MANGIAMO!

Penne Alla Vodka

Name: Penne Alla Vodka
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 Cup Heavy Cream; 2 Cloves Fresh Minced Garlic; 2 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes; 1 oz Vodka; 1 5 oz Can Tomato paste; 1 Small Diced Onion; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; ½ Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese; ½ Box Penne Pasta

Prepare this authentic Italian dish in 15-minutes

Penne Alla Vodka makes a tsty side dish, add it to a Steak Dish or add Br uschetta on the side

Penne Alla Vodka

Prepare this authentic Italian dish in 15-minutes. To whip up this dish in 15 minutes, you'll need to multitask. First, get a big pot and fill it with salted water for your penne pasta. Bring it to a rolling boil. While that's heating up, check out the sauce recipe below.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 15

Total Time 15

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

1 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Cloves Fresh Minced Garlic
2 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 oz Vodka
1 5 oz Can Tomato paste
1 Small Diced Onion
2 tbsp Olive Oil
½ Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese
½ Box Penne Pasta

Instructions

First, get a big pot and fill it with salted water for your penne pasta. Bring it to a rolling boil.
Heat up some olive oil in a sauté pan and toss in the diced onion. Sauté until the onion turns translucent, then add the minced garlic cloves. Make sure not to burn the garlic as it may lose its flavor. This is also the perfect time to sprinkle in the red pepper flakes. Give it a good stir.
Add the vodka and tomato paste at the same time. You can even set the vodka on fire to burn off the alcohol, while keeping the flavor. Stir until everything is combined.
Pour in the heavy cream and let it cook until it reduces, which should take about 5 minutes. While the sauce is reducing, you can start boiling your pasta. If the sauce gets too thick, add some pasta water to thin it out, but not more than 1 cup.
Next, mix in the cheese to thicken the sauce again.
Congratulations! Your sauce is now ready for your pasta. "Mangiamo" – your dish is all set to be enjoyed!