When I first saw vodka pasta recipes popping up, I was a little sceptical. Okay, I love a glass of wine every now and then and I love beer so I should like alcohol in a dish, but did I want to waste my vodka in pasta? The answer is yes, yes I did! It certainly wasn’t wasting it! This chilli and vodka pasta tasted amazing! I served chilli and vodka pasta with my Fougasse bread and fresh basil. It was creamy with just the right amount of spice and perfect for dipping bread into. The vodka really brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes, especially if you use fresh tomatoes from your garden (which is always the best option). For this lovely pasta I used penne pasta but you can actually use any other kind, spaghetti or trofie or bucatini or fusilli, anything really. Just pick your favorite kind of pasta and enjoy this original and creamy dish.
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil 3 cloves of garlic (minced) 1 medium onion (diced) 2 red chillies (chopped finely) 4 tbsp tomato puree 80ml vodka 2 cans of tomatoes 150ml double cream Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 tablespoons of fresh basil
500g penne pasta
DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta in salted water until cooked. Whilst the pasta is cooking, heat a good glug of olive oil in a large pan. Add in the onions and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and chilli and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until all the ingredients are soft and cooked. Stir in the tomato puree and combine and then pour in the two cans of tomatoes.
Bring to a simmer and add in the vodka. Cook on a medium heat until most the vodka has evaporated, about 7- 8 minutes. Stir in the cream, salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Cook on a low to medium heat until the sauce has thickened. Stir in basil and pour the sauce over the pasta. Garnish chilli and vodka pasta with basil and a cheese of your choice.