Pasta Alla Vodka

Sharing my recipe for the most iconic pasta of 2020. A quick and easy pasta that's incredibly creamy and tomato-ey all thanks to the addition of a few shots of vodka!

Ingredients

• Small bunch of fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3 shots of vodka 
• 500g of Rigatoni
• 150g of Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) or Grana Padano cheese, freshly grated
• 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 pinch of dried chilli flakes or 1 tablespoon of chilli oil
• 130g of concentrated tomato paste
• 300ml of thickened cream

Method

1. In a large pot with boiling and heavily salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Save a cup of the pasta water just before you drain it
2. Meanwhile, in a large and heated pan with the olive oil, sweat out the onion, garlic and chilli flakes/oil on medium heat for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent
3. Add in the tomato paste, stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes on medium or until the mixture becomes deep red in colour
4. Add the vodka to deglaze the pan and stir to incorporate, scraping the bottom of the pot. Make sure all the vodka evaporates and reduce the heat to low
5. Slowly add the thickened cream to the sauce, stirring constantly until a smooth sauce forms. It should be a creamy orange colour
6. Add the cooked pasta to the pan. Add ½ cup of saved pasta water to the pan and stir to incorporate. Gradually add half of the cheese, stirring constantly to melt. The sauce should be smooth and glossy. Add a splash of more pasta water to thin the sauce, if needed
7. Plate and serve the fresh basil leaves, more cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

If you loved this recipe, you can take it to the next level by trying my Vodka Pasta 2.0 recipe!