Penne Alla Vodka
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Today was an unusually chilly August day. 70° and rainy. I enjoy spending time in my garden on rainy days, so today, I cleared out one of my raised garden beds, preparing it for fall planting. With my tomatoes ripening in the droves everyday, I decided a stick to your ribs pasta was in store.
This dish is full of fresh flavor. Grab a bunch of fresh herbs, throw everything onto a baking pan, and slowly roast your tomatoes in the oven.
Roast the tomatoes for an hour and a half. About 15 minutes before they are done roasting, sauté your onions over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add in hot and sweet sausage, removed from the casing. Cook the sausage until it is browned and crumbled, breaking it down with a spatula. It’s okay if the sausage isn’t cooked through as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Once the tomatoes are finished roasting, remove from the oven and blend in a blender or food processor.
Add the blended tomatoes, heavy cream, and vodka to the sauce. Add in a Parmesan rind – my store occasionally sells a container of just Parmesan rinds. If you can’t find something like this, then cut the rind off of a piece of fresh Parmesan. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for half an hour. While it simmers, cook the penne according to the directions. Once complete, drain and add the pasta to the sauce. Mix the sauce and pasta well. Serve with grated Parmesan and fresh basil.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
12 medium tomatoes, cut in half
6 garlic cloves
Handful of fresh herbs – basil, oregano, and thyme
1 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 TB olive oil
6 sausage links, mixed hot and sweet, removed from casings
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup vodka
Parmesan rind
1 lb. penne
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°
Place tomatoes on a baking sheet. Lightly salt and pepper. Add garlic cloves and fresh herbs. Roast in the oven for an hour and a half.
15 minutes before the tomatoes are done, heat a deep skillet over medium heat. Drizzle in a small amount of olive oil in the pan. When the oil shimmers, add in the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes then add in the sausage. Work to break down the sausage into crumbles. If too much fat gathers in the pan, drain it off. The sausage does not need to cook through at this point, as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
When the tomatoes are finished, add them to a blender or food processor and blend well. Add the tomato sauce, cream, and vodka to the skillet. Add in the Parmesan rind. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the temperature to low and simmer. Cover and simmer for half an hour, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package. Drain and add the pasta to the sauce. Remove the Parmesan rinds. Mix well and serve with fresh basil and grated Parmesan.
Enjoy!
Keywords: Penne, Vodka, Dinner, Sunday Dinner, Italian, Pasta
Delicious recipe that our whole family loved– even the picky five year old. The mix of hot & sweet sausage is a nice variation, and the roasting tomatoes & herbs made the house smell amazing. We will definitely make again, next time with a crusty bread & herb butter.
★★★★★