The silkiest penne a la vodka recipe - you won't be able to stop eating this once you try it!
Penne alla Vodka became popular in the 80s and now has many variations. Double cream was a novelty ingredient in Italy during this time, which is why this recipe became so famous. The vodka deglazes the pan and adds a deliciously acidic flavour.
Vodka might sound like a strange addition to a pasta dish, however it adds a creaminess to the recipe, making it all the more delicious. Pasta makes for the perfect midweek meal, since it's thrown together so quickly. This recipe is ready in just 30min from start to finish! You won't be able to stop eating this once you make it!
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Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Cal/Serv:
576
Ingredients
1Tbsp.
olive oil
2
onions, finely sliced
300g
penne pasta
2
garlic cloves, crushed
6Tbsp.
tomato purée
1tsp.
dried chilli flakes
100ml
vodka
100ml
double cream
50g
Parmesan or vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, grated
Small handful basil, leaves picked and torn
Directions
Step 1Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat and cook the onions for 10min, until softened.
Step 2Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Drain, reserving 150ml cooking water.
Step 3Stir the garlic into the onion pan and cook for 1min. Add the tomato purée and chilli flakes and cook for 5min, stirring frequently, until slightly caramelised.
Step 4Add the vodka and bubble until completely reduced. Stir through the cream, pasta and reserved cooking water until combined. Check seasoning. Divide between 4 bowls and scatter over the cheese and basil. Serve.
GH TIPS:
If you cant drink alcohol, you can use the starchy pasta water instead, but it won't be the same type of silky texture. Vodka helps to enhance the savoury flavours and emulsifies the fats together with the pasta.
Some recipes use bacon lardons for an added smoky hit of flavour and is something we love to do, too.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
