Rigatoni alla vodka
This pasta slaps. I made a recipe. It's easy, basic AF.
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Garlic | 8 cloves, finely minced |
| Yellow Onion | Whole onion, fine dice |
| Vodka of your choice | 3 oz |
| Heavy Cream | 1/2 cup |
| Parsley | 1/4 cup, rough chopped |
| Tomato Paste (double concentrated) | One tube |
| Calabrian Pepper Paste | 1/2 tablespoon |
| Pancetta | 4oz |
| Pecorino Romano | 1 cup, grated, add some more for garnish |
| Rigatoni | 16oz, use the largest noodle you can find |
| Salt | 2 teaspoons/to taste |
| Pepper | 1 teaspoon |
| Red pepper flakes | 2 teaspoons/to taste |
To begin, bring a large pot to boil. Add pasta and cook for the recommended amount of time, minus one minute. We want to bring the pasta almost to al dente. It will continue cooking slightly in the sauce. Reserve a bit of the pasta water to aid in the sauce later.
As the pasta is cooking, add a splash of olive oil to a large pan over medium high heat. Add the pancetta and pan fry until crispy. Remove the pancetta and allow to drain. Be sure to leave the rendered fat/oil in the pan as it will fortify our sauce.
Reduce heat to medium, add chopped onions, cook for 5-6 minutes, until just before they become translucent. Add the minced garlic, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. It should be very fragrant.
Once the onion and garlic have become soft, add the tomato paste and calabrian chili paste. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until tomato paste begins to turn a deep red (about 3 minutes).
Add the vodka, and stir together until you no longer see it sizzling, make sure you no longer smell any alcohol.
Reduce heat to medium low, and add the heavy cream, stir until incorporated. Allow sauce to simmer for two minutes, then turn off the heat and add your grated pecorino. Immediately add pasta, chopped parsley, and cooked pancetta to the sauce, toss vigorously until well coated. Add pasta water if it begins to lose coverage.
To serve, optionally top with grated pecorino and black pepper. Enjoy.