Pasta alla Vodka

• portions: 6 servings
• temps total: 45 minutes

Ingrédients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 ounces pancetta, chopped fine

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 garlic clove, minced to paste

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ cup vodka, divided

2 cups passata

½ cup heavy cream

¾ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta

½ teaspoon pepper

1 pound rigatoni

Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Note: Passata is an uncooked tomato puree usually found near the other tomato products in the grocery store; if you’re buying the Pomì brand, it may be labeled “strained tomatoes.” If you cannot find passata, you can use tomato puree. A rasp-style grater makes quick work of turning the garlic into a paste. We prefer rigatoni for this dish, but any short, tubular pasta, such as penne, can be used.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. While water is coming to boil, melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta and pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, until pancetta is golden brown and fond begins to form on bottom of pot, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.

Transfer 1 tablespoon vodka to small bowl and set aside. Remove Dutch oven from heat and add remaining 7 tablespoons vodka. Return pot to heat and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until vodka is mostly evaporated and fat in pot begins to sizzle, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in passata, cream, salt, and pepper and bring to simmer. Adjust heat to maintain gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, to meld flavors, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta.

Stir reserved 1 tablespoon vodka into sauce and return pot to low heat. Add pasta to sauce and stir until well coated, about 1 minute. Add ¼ cup reserved cooking water and stir until sauce looks glossy and fluid, about 1 minute, adjusting consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Serve, passing Parmesan separately.

Nutrition

• Calories: 537
• Lipides Totaux: 19 g
• Lipides Saturés: 10 g
• Lipides Insaturés: 6 g
• Acides Gras Trans: 0 g
• Cholestérol: 45 miligrams
• Sodium: 529 miligrams
• Glucides Totaux: 62 g
• Sucres Totaux: 7 g
• Protéines: 15 g