I’ve never made vodka cream sauce before. It was super easy and super tasty. This version is adapted from The Complete Book of Pasta and Noodles-I didn’t vary the ingredients so much as I changed up the preparation for a more rustic sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes packed in juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. water
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 c. vodka
- 1 c. heavy cream
- 2 TBSP fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 box (I used a 13.25 oz box of whole grain pasta) pasta of your choice
Directions:
- Take the whole tomatoes out of the can and squeeze them into a bowl so the tomatoes start to break apart into pieces.
- When mincing garlic, use some salt as an abrasive and smash the garlic with the side of your knife–makes a garlic paste. Add garlic and 1 tsp. of water into a small bowl.
- Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and the tomato juices; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the vodka and simmer until the alcohol evaporates and the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Use a hand held blender to puree some of the sauce. I like the chunks of tomatoes, so I only puree a bit. If you like a smoother sauce, you can transfer the sauce to a food processor.
- Let sauce simmer another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile cook pasta according to the directions on the box.
- Combine pasta with sauce, and top with some more fresh basil. If you use a full pound of pasta, you may use all the sauce, but if you use less than a pound, you’ll probably have extra sauce that you can save for another use.
Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce:
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