Rocco Dispiritos Penne Alla Vodka Recipes

PENNE ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to package directions.
• Saute the garlic and onions in 2 tablespoons butter and the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until soft. Pour in the vodka, being careful if your stove has an open flame (remove the pan from the heat before adding). Cook and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour in the tomato puree. Stir the mixture until it's thoroughly combined, then reduce the heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream. Stir to combine, then turn heat to the lowest simmer possible. Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and add salt and pepper to taste. Finally, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Pour the drained pasta into the sauce and toss to combine. Sprinkle on the Parmesan, then sprinkle on more red pepper flakes if desired.

PENNE RUSSO A LA VODKA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Saute garlic, prosciutto and red pepper flakes for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in vodka and cream. Simmer 15 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in Parmesan and chopped basil. Toss with pasta until evenly coated.

HIGHLY RATED PENNE ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Puree half of the tomatoes in a food processor until smooth (about 20 seconds).
• Chop the remaining tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces, discarding the cores. Combined the pureed and diced tomatoes in a liquid measuring cup (about 1 2/3 cups). Add the reserved liquid to equal 2 cups.
• Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot for the pasta. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to the boiling water. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is almost al dente.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is light golden around the edges (about 3 minutes).
• Stir in the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
• Stir in the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the vodka.
• Return the saucepan to medium heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the alcohol flavor has cooked off (8-10 minutes).
• Stir in the cream and cook until hot (about 1 minute).
• Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the past, and return it to the pot.
• Stir in the sauce and toss to combine. Cook over medium heat until the pasta absorbs some of the sauce (about 1-2 minutes). You can thin the sauce with the reserved pasta cooking water if needed.
• Stir in the basil and serve. Pass grated Parmesan cheese separately for extra flavour!
• Slice and add baked chicken on top (optional).

NO CREAM-NO CRY PENNE ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, about 9 minutes; drain.
• While the pasta is cooking, bring the marinara sauce and crushed red pepper to a simmer in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the sauce, stirring it occasionally with a heat-resistant rubber spatula, until it is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove the sauté pan from the heat.
• Stir about 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce into the yogurt until smooth (this tempers it and prevents the yogurt from curdling). Then whisk the yogurt mixture back into the marinara sauce.
• In a large serving bowl, toss the sauce with the drained penne and the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the cheese on top, and serve.
• Whole-wheat pasta has a dense texture that makes it a little tougher than regular pasta. Some people like that chewiness; some don't. If you're in the latter category, overcook it a bit. Toward the end of the cooking time, keep testing it until it's as tender as you like it.
• Fat: 60g (before), 4.8g (after)
• Calories: 618 (before), 320 (after)
• Protein: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 55g
• Cholesterol: 11mg
• Fiber: 6g
• Sodium: 416mg

QUICK PENNE ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Start a pot of salted water boiling.
• In a 12" skillet, melt butter over medium heat; when it foams, add pancetta (or mushrooms) and saute for about 6 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high; add vodka. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Meanwhile, put pasta into the pot of boiling water.
• Add the marinara sauce and cream to the skillet. Simmer sauce gently, stirring occasionally; Add salt/pepper to taste. When pasta is just barely al dente, drain it and add it to the skillet.
• Gently stir pasta and sauce for a minute or two. Transfer to a hot bowl, and serve with the grated cheese.

PENNE ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
• Pour the tomatoes and their liquid into the work bowl of a food processor. Using quick on/off pulses, process the tomatoes just until they are finely chopped. (Longer processing will aerate the tomatoes, turning them pink.)
• Stir the penne into the boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and add them to the hot oil. Cook, shaking the skillet, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Lower the work bowl with the tomatoes close to the skillet and carefully-they will splatter-slide the tomatoes into the pan. Bring to a boil, season lightly with salt and generously with crushed red pepper, and boil 2 minutes. Pour in the vodka, lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer, and simmer until the pasta is ready.
• Just before the pasta is done, fish the garlic cloves out of the sauce and pour in the cream. Add the 2 tablespoons butter or oil, if using, and swirl the skillet to incorporate into the sauce. If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt and red pepper if necessary. Sprinkle the parsley over the pasta and boil until the sauce is reduced enough to cling to the pasta.
• Remove the pot from the heat, sprinkle 3/4 cup of the cheese over the pasta, and toss to mix. Serve immediately, passing additional cheese if you like.