One-Pan Baked Penne Alla Vodka
Category : Dinner
Are you wondering how pasta and vodka go together? Here, you will learn how these two different ingredients can create magic. Pasta is a common dish in Italy, and now people all over the world are learning about it. The old saying is that it was first created by the vodka distillers in the 1960s to get more Italian vodka with cooking. It is not known whether this business trick worked for the distillers, but the general people did fall in love with this dish.
Why penne pasta?
Penne has a large diameter, which allows it to retain sauces on its whole surface. Its ridges can also easily capture the sauce. Veggies and meat mix well with it, too.
What is vodka sauce?
It is a unique sauce made with vodka, tomato sauce, cream, and cheese. This combination of tomatoes and vodka brings out the sweetness. Vodka also acts as an emulsifying agent to keep tomatoes and cream together, which would otherwise separate. The amount of vodka used in this dish is small, so it's safe for the entire family. You make and store this vodka sauce in the freezer and use it in the future for other dishes like pizza or lasagna.
Ingredients
● Garlic cloves – 2, minced
● Salted butter – 4 tablespoons
● Tomatoes – 1.28 oz can
● Sun-dried tomatoes – ½ cup
● Red pepper flakes – ½ teaspoons, crushed
● Vodka – ½ cup
● Cracked black pepper – to taste
● Penne pasta - 1 pound
● Heavy cream – ½ cup
● Parmesan – 1 cup
● Mozzarella – 8 oz
● Whole milk ricotta – 16 oz
● Fresh basil – for serving
Instructions
● Take a saucepan and add garlic, butter, and red pepper flakes. Cook on medium-low heat.
Stir occasionally till the butter melts and you start getting the garlic fragrant.
● Add vodka and let it simmer for a few minutes until it reduces to one-third.
● Add crushed tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes along with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.
● In another saucepan pour water and boil. Add some salt. Put the penne pasta and cook for 6 minutes or as suggested in the packet. Set aside a cup of pasta cooking water.
Alternatively, you cook the dry pasta in the oven as well by submerging it in water.
● Transfer the cooked pasta to a blender and make a smooth puree by adding the pasta cooking water that you had kept.
● Put the pasta in a bowl. Add the sauce and parmesan cheese and mix well.
● In another bowl mix heavy cream and ricotta ( a type of cheese).
● Take a baking dish (9X13 inch) and transfer half of the pasta. Add ricotta mixture on top. Then add the rest of the pasta on top of it.
● Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the pasta.
● Put the baking tray inside the pre-heated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes and 425 degrees C. You will notice that the color has changed to light brown.
● Take out and serve hot.
Tips and tricks
● Use top-quality tomatoes to prepare the sauce. If you don't want to make it at home you can buy a bottle of tomato sauce.
● Keep the pasta submerged in water when putting it in the oven to ensure it cooks evenly throughout.
● If you like cheese then you can make the pasta extra cheesy by adding more mozzarella or parmesan.
● You can add other veggies like green peas, mushrooms, and other greens.
● Add the sausage of your choice.
Every member of your family will love this extremely fulfilling dish. It has everything from vegetables and herbs to cream and cheese. It's packed with carbs, protein, healthy fat, vitamins, and minerals. If you have kids and worry about the vodka, then simply substitute it with lemon juice. The taste won't vary much. Enjoy this big fat meal on weekends with your loved ones. You can easily store the leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container.
