My Uncle Larry shared this recipe with me about 15 years ago. It’s one of those handwritten recipes, stained with oil and tomato sauce from years of use, that I treasure. The sauce is thick and sticks to to every piece of pasta. When I recently made this dish, we decided to make the pasta from scratch, which is why you see it with fettuccini. If using a dried pasta, then penne is the obvious choice, though anything would be delicious. This will generously coat 2 pounds of pasta.
Tips:
Note that I didn't add salt until the end. The pancetta is very salty, so be careful to not over salt the dish.
If you don't have pancetta, bacon is a great substitute.
Traditionally served with penne or another tubed pasta so all that sauce gets inside.
The amount of cream you use is up to you. You want a pretty orangey-pink sauce.
DO NOT ADD ALCOHOL UNTIL YOU TURN THE BURNER OFF! It can start a fire, trust me:(
Penne alla Vodka
Serves 4-6
PREP 10 minutes
COOK 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb. pancetta, diced
1 small onion, diced
6 oz. vodka
1-28oz. can of whole, peeled plum tomatoes, crushed
1/2 -1 cup heavy cream
Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat large skillet over medium-high heat.
Once hot, add the oil and diced pancetta. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the fat is rendered and pancetta is golden brown.
Add the onion and continue to cook until the onion is soft, about 5 more minutes.
Turn the pan off and add the vodka. Turn heat back on and cook until the vodka has reduced to half.
Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
Add the cream and cook for 5 minutes or until pasta is done. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Top the pasta with parmesan cheese.