Easy Date Night Pasta with Vodka Sauce
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500 g) dried short pasta
- Kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp olive Oil
- ½ cup minced onion
- 1 14 ounce can (400 g) crushed or diced tomatoes
- ⅔ to ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ to ¾ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ to 1 tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup vodka
- 3-6 Calabrian chillies, stems removed and finely chopped or ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup grated or finely shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley optional
- ½ lb (226 g) cooked Italian sausage or chicken strips optional
- ¼ lb (113 g) chopped prosciutto optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. (I use approximately 1 T of Kosher salt.) Add pasta and stir immediately to separate all the pieces. Cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally. (It is okay for the pasta to be slightly underdone as it will cook longer in the sauce later.)
- While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat the oil and the butter over medium heat until all the butter melts.
- Add the onion and sauté until tender and translucent but not browned, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, cream, salt, pepper and chilis. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If adding meat, do so now.)
- Add the vodka and continue cooking for 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vodka evaporates slightly and the sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low or turn off if pasta isn't ready.
- When pasta is ready, reserve ½ cup of cooking water in a glass measuring cup. Drain the pasta in a colander. If your sauce pot is big enough, add the pasta to that. If your skillet is not big enough, put the pasta back in the pot it cooked in and you can add the sauce to that. Sir to combine well over very low heat for about 2 minutes. (You can add a bit of the pasta water 1 T at a time if you think it needs more liquid.)
- Serve immediately over your favorite short pasta shape. We like Alce Nero Conchliglie di Grano Duro, but penne, fusilli, rigatoni, shells, bowties, and even tortellini or gnocchi work well. Serve topped with grated Parmesan and parsley, if desired. (Sauce can be made ahead and reheated later. Reserve some pasta cooking water to mix in if it needs a bit more liquid when combining.)
Notes
You can adjust or eliminate the vodka to suit your taste. It is still delicious without it!