Description
Craving a luxurious Italian-inspired “creamy vodka pasta perfection” that dances with rich tomato tang and silky cream? Smooth parmesan, aromatic basil, and al dente pasta create a simple yet sophisticated dish that welcomes you to savor each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings:
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare a generously salted water bath in a large pot, bringing it to a rolling boil. Submerge penne pasta, cooking until it reaches a perfect al dente texture. Carefully drain the pasta, preserving a modest portion of starchy cooking liquid for later use.
- Warm a spacious skillet with a harmonious blend of olive oil and butter over moderate heat. Introduce minced garlic and fiery red pepper flakes, allowing them to release their aromatic essence for a brief moment.
- Cascade vodka into the skillet, permitting it to gently simmer and evaporate its alcoholic intensity while enriching the underlying flavor profile.
- Incorporate crushed tomatoes into the developing sauce, stirring methodically. Allow the mixture to gently bubble and condense for several minutes, creating a robust foundation. Reduce heat and seamlessly integrate heavy cream, transforming the sauce into a silky, luxurious coating.
- Tenderly introduce the cooked penne into the velvety sauce, ensuring each pasta tube is lavishly embraced. Adjust the sauce’s consistency by introducing reserved pasta water, creating a perfect harmony of texture and moisture.
- Elevate the dish’s complexity by folding in freshly grated Parmesan and delicately torn basil leaves. Calibrate the seasoning with a judicious pinch of salt and a whisper of freshly ground black pepper.
- Transfer the pasta into waiting serving vessels, embellishing with additional Parmesan and verdant basil fragments. Present immediately, while the dish radiates peak warmth and flavor.
Notes
- Choose high-quality vodka for a cleaner, more refined sauce flavor that doesn’t overpower the dish.
- Use fresh garlic and crush it just before cooking to release maximum aromatic compounds and enhance the sauce’s depth.
- Reserve pasta water strategically to adjust sauce consistency, creating a silky, perfectly coated pasta texture.
- Experiment with dietary modifications by substituting heavy cream with coconut cream for a dairy-free version or using gluten-free pasta for a celiac-friendly alternative.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg