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Penne Alla Vodka with Sausage

Penne Alla Vodka, a retro classic of uncertain heritage, combines tomatoes, butter, cream and vodka to create a lively, rich dinner. Leave out the sausage to make it vegetarian.
Course Pasta
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 to 3

Ingredients

  • salt
  • 1/2 pound dried penne rigate
  • 1/2 pound sausage (leave it out for a vegetarian version)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (see Kitchen Notes)
  • 1 14- ounce can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup vodka
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pats
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and generously season with salt. Cook pasta until not quite al dente, 1 or 2 minutes short of package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and set aside.
  • While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium flame. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned (you don’t have to cook completely—it will cook longer in sauce). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.
  • Drain all but 2 tablespoons of oil from pan and cook onions until softened, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper to pan and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds.
  • Add tomatoes and vodka, and season with salt and pepper. Return sausage to pan and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and butter.
  • Add pasta to vodka sauce, tossing to combine. If sauce is too thick, add small amounts of pasta water, a little at a time. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until pasta has absorbed some of the sauce and become al dente. Top with Parmesan and parsley. Serve.

Kitchen Notes

How hot? The 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper added a decent kick to this dish—just how we like it. Depending on your heat tolerance, you can reduce that amount to 1/4 teaspoon. And honestly, plenty of recipes don’t call for it at all.