Pennette alla vodka

Pennette alla vodka is a distinctive and tasty dish that blends the pasta’s texture with the bold flavor of vodka, and the creaminess and color of tomato and cream. Here is how to prepare them:

Ingredients

• 350 g of pennette
• 80 g of smoked pancetta or bacon (optional)
• 1 small onion
• 400 ml of tomato sauce
• 100 ml of cooking cream
• 50 ml of vodka
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Chopped parsley (to garnish, optional)

Preparation

1. Begin by finely chopping the onion and cutting the pancetta into small cubes.
2. In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of oil and sauté the onion until it becomes transparent. If you’re using pancetta, add it now and let it brown until crisp.
3. Add the tomato sauce to the pan, lower the heat, and let it cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pennette al dente according to the package instructions.
5. Pour the vodka into the tomato sauce, raise the heat, and let the alcohol evaporate for a couple of minutes.
6. Lower the heat again, add the cream to the sauce, and stir well to amalgamate the ingredients. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper to your liking.
7. Drain the pasta, keeping some of the cooking water, and add it to the pan with the sauce. If necessary, add some cooking water to make the sauce more fluid.
8. Sauté the pennette in the sauce for a minute or two, until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce.
9. Serve the pennette alla vodka hot, garnished with chopped parsley and, if you wish, a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

Curiosity

This dish became very popular in the 1980s and is said to have been invented in a Roman restaurant, although its origin is still the subject of debate today. The vodka, while not having a dominant flavor, mainly serves to enhance the flavor of the tomato.