Vodka Sauce

, , 3 Comments

Corona Kitchen Week Five. Yup, we’ve been doing this for a month which officially makes self-isolating a habit. According to Wikipedia, “With a small amount of initial discipline you can create a new habit and make it stick. A month is a good block of time to commit to a change since it easily fits in your calendar.” Feeling as though you have accomplished something? Congratulations! It’s the small things.

You haven’t had a great vodka sauce until you’ve had Ina Garten’s, by way of Nick and Toni’s of East Hampton, NY, version. The magic of this recipe for Nick and Toni’s Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola is the hour and a half that the sauce spends in the oven, concentrating the tomato flavor and jammy consistency. This technique would improve any sauce, it’s just having the time, and right now we happen to have all the time in the world.

A couple of notes about the recipe, it is best to start with whole canned San Marzano tomatoes (whole are always better because you know you are getting the cream of the crop, so to speak, and San Marzano are the most flavorful) but I often use crushed San Marzano tomatoes so that I can skip the pureeing step towards the end. I’ve made this sauce many times without fresh oregano. Again, fresh is a plus but don’t let only having dried oregano on hand stop you from making the recipe. And pro-tip, if you happen to find yourself in Trader Joe’s pick up a couple of small cartons of shelf-stable heavy cream. I always have a few on hand to ensure that I can make a cream sauce without a special trip to the store. Finally, this sauce is traditionally served over penne but is great over tortellini, ravioli or any thick tubular pasta (it would be too heavy for a spaghetti-type).

So start this sauce in the late afternoon and put a big pot of water up to boil during the last stage on the stovetop. You’ll be transported to Italy from the comfort of your home. Stay healthy and enjoy!

Vodka Sauce
Print Recipe

Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 c vodka
  • 2 28-oz cans of whole peeled plum tomatoes or crushed
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 Tbls fresh oregano or 1 Tbls dried oregano
  • 3/4-1 c heavy cream
  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.
  • Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands (or add the two cans of crushed tomatoes). Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
  • If using whole tomatoes, place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. If using crushed tomatoes you can skip this step.
  • Return to the pan. Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano (or 1 Tbls dried) and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in 1/2 c Parmesan.
  • Toss your cooked pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.
Email, RSS Follow
Pin It
Email
Share on Tumblr