Penne alla Vodka
I have a confession to make, this was the first time I had this pasta. Every time I thought about it, I would think about how much cream, fat and calories were in it and then I’d talk myself out of it. Here, there’s my compromise; there’s cream but it’s half & half, and it’s also half the amount other recipes call for!
(Originally posted on July 19, 2014)
what I served with this dish
Green Salad
Ingredients used in this dish
Passata Di Pomodoro Strained Tomatoes
Campbell’s® 30% Less Sodium Beef Broth
A simple recipe for the classic pasta dish, Penne alla Vodka, this comes together in under 30 minutes and will surely impress 🙂
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Penne alla Vodka
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
A simple recipe for the classic pasta dish, Penne alla Vodka, this comes together in under 30 minutes and will surely impress 🙂
Ingredients
375 g box of whole wheat penne
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp red chili flakes
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ Cup Vodka
680 ml jar of passata (strained tomatoes)
1 Cup stock (I use sodium reduced beef broth)
½ Cup half & half (10% cream)
Salt
Pepper
Handful fresh Italian parsley
Handful fresh basil
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.
Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions.
Add the oil to a large sauté pan and then add the chili flakes to the oil; turn the heat to high to infuse the oil.
When the oil is hot, the chili flakes will start to sizzle, add the onions and season with salt and pepper.
Drop the heat to medium high and sauté the onions until they are soft and translucent, about 5 to7 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, careful not to let it burn.
Add the vodka (take a step back, the steam here is stronger then when adding wine); take the pan away from the heat completely if you are working on an open flame.
Gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any flavours.
Let the alcohol boil out, about a minute and then add the passata.
Add the stock to the jar and shake it to rinse out any remaining tomato sauce and then add it to the pan; mix well.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bring the sauce to a boil and then drop the heat to medium low and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the cream.
Remove one cup of the pasta water when the pasta has finished cooking (2 minutes less than package states) and add it to the sauce.
Add the pasta to the pan and turn the heat to medium, let the pasta finish cooking in the sauce.
Don’t let the sauce come to a boil though because the cream may curdle.
When the pasta is cooked, taste and adjust seasoning and then stir in the fresh parsley and basil.
Serve immediately.
Notes
- Yum!
- Feel free to use 5% in place of half % half.
- Serve with a grilled chicken or grilled shrimp, always a great way to boost to nutrients and lean protein.
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
