This dish required a technique I had never tried before–flambe. Flambeing alcohol involves setting the alcohol on fire in a saute pan until it burns out. What’s leftover is all the aroma and flavor of the vodka, without all of the alcohol. The vodka is the critical component of this dish because it reacts with the sauce and brings out the flavor of the tomatoes. I have tried this dish before without the flambe technique and I like the results of flambeing a lot better. I have also tried this dish with bacon instead of pancetta, but I have come to prefer the pancetta. Lots of vodka sauces are pale pink but I only put 1/2 cup cream in the sauce so mine was a pale brick red instead. I prefer the darker sauce–I think the cream can mask the flavor of the tomatoes. I topped the pasta with a little grated parmesan and basil.
Penne with Vodka Sauce
(Makes 2 Servings)
Printable Version
Ingredients:
- 1 14.5-oz box penne pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 oz chopped pancetta
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups prepared tomato sauce
- 5 leaves fresh basil
- dash cayenne
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. In a saute pan, heat the oil and butter over medium high heat and add the pancetta and some black pepper. When the bacon is sizzling and some of the oil has cooked away, pour 1/2 cup vodka into the pan. (Stand back in case the alcohol flairs up.)
2. With a lighter, bring the flame close to the side of the pan and move away when the alcohol has caught fire. Make sure there isn’t anything around that could catch the flames. The flames will die out once the alcohol has burned off.
2. Pour in 1/2 cup heavy cream and lower the heat so that it is just simmering. Reduce the cream by a quarter, about 5 minutes. The cream should be thick enough so that you can scrape the bottom of the pan with a spoon and the line will stick.
3. Pour in 3 cups tomato sauce, garlic, basil, and stir. The sauce should be a light red color. Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
4. Boil the water for the pasta and cook until al dente for about 12 minutes.
5. Mix the pasta into the sauce and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.