Aaaahh vodka!
Yes. I do like to drink alcohol – mainly ciders and spirits such as vodka and Jim Beam. No. I don’t get a chance to drink much these days.
Some mums drink as a way to relax after a busy day running around their kids. Others just collapse in a heap in the corner of a room once the kids go to bed. I’m that mum. One who can barely lift their eyelids up for much else once there’s finally peace and quiet in the house. Don’t get me wrong, my two girls are pretty good. They don’t cry excessively, they do sleep well and they eat like horses. That said, all their boisterousness and running around leaves me tired at the end of the day and alcohol is one of the last things on my mind.
That’s why I love to include alcohol into my cooking when it’s suitable to do so. When I saw this recipe with vodka on the Food Network, it ticked all the boxes for me. Not only is it an Italian dish but it has alcohol, is quick to make… AND uses simple ingredients. Perfect!
How I would describe the flavour is that it doesn’t have a strong alcohol taste. The vodka rounds off the flavour and gives the sauce an extra dimension. The kids loved this dish. Don’t worry I’m not turning them into alcoholics! When cooking with an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol component evaporates and leaves just the flavour behind. You just need to cook any sauce for at least 20-30 seconds after adding wine/spirit/beer to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Since alcohol evaporates at 78°C, any sauce or stew that is simmering or boiling is certainly hot enough to evaporate the alcohol.
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If you like this recipe, you’ll also love others available here. From pastas to risottos, cookies to desserts, and bliss balls to gluten-free options with everything in between. There is truly something here for everyone. I have developed this website to provide family-friendly recipes where I maximise both fresh produce while minimising cost.
Penne alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 -4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 cup prosciutto or bacon, thinly sliced
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped, 28 ounce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup vodka, only a kind you would drink
- salt and pepper
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, crushed
- 500 g penne pasta
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- In a wide pot big enough to hold all the pasta and sauce, melt the butter then add the garlic and cook until golden brown.
- Stir in the proscuitto and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, crushed pepper, pepper and salt and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream and cook for 2 minutes stirring a lot.
- Add the vodka and cook until it no longer smells strongly of vodka (about 3-5 minutes).
- Cook the pasta as directed on box but al dente.
- Add the pasta to the pot with the sauce and mix until it is all coated over the pasta.
- Toss with the cheese and serve immediately.