A Simple Tomato Cream Pasta Recipe.
Penne alla Vodka is the one of most popular Italian-American pasta dishes. Here is a penne without vodka recipe that’s really easy and that’s healthier yet as tasty as in the restaurants:
Why Penne Without Vodka??
It can simply be the case that you do not have vodka at home.
Or, it might be because you may have indulged in too much vodka in your college days, so the thought of vodka still makes you a bit queasy.
Or, it can also be a health choice in which you want to have a pasta will fewer calories.
Whatever is the reason, you can still make a delicious penne without vodka recipe and it will still taste as amazing as penne alla vodka.
Penne Without Vodka Recipe
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 400 gram can whole tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
- 500 grams penne pasta
- 3 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 1 pinch white sugar
- 1 pinch chili flakes (optional)
Kitchen Tools:
1. In a large pot, boil enough water to cook the penne pasta.
2. Peel and cut the onion into quarters. Peel the garlic cloves. Add both to the food chopper. Grind until smoothly pureed. Transfer the mixture into a medium bowl.
3. Open the can of tomatoes to also grind until smooth. Set aside until later.
4. In a large pan over high heat, add 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Once heated, add the onion-garlic mixture to the pan and season with about a pinch of kosher salt, a pinch of ground black pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes. While constantly stirring, cook for about 4 minutes.
5. Add 2 Tablespoons tomato paste to the mixture and stir it together for about 2 minutes.
6. Lower the heat to medium, then add the tomato sauce puree to the pan. Add a couple more pinches of kosher salt, a pinch of sugar, and 2 teaspoons fish sauce. Stir together well. As the sauce begins to simmer, bring the heat down to low. Taste the sauce, it should be aggressively seasoned but not overly salty. Remember, you will be adding cream and pasta water so the flavor will dilute.
7. As the tomato sauce simmers on low, you can now cook the penne pasta. Cook it 2 minutes less than the package indicates. Add 2 Tablespoons of salt to the pasta water.
8. While the pasta boils, add in the cream to the tomato sauce and stir well. Add 1/4 cup grated cheese and stir well again.
9. When the pasta is ready and still very al dente, use a slotted spoon to transfer the penne directly to the saucepan. Set aside the pasta water pot – do not drain the pasta water!
10. Bring the heat of the saucepan back up to medium. Fold in the sauce and pasta together well. If it gets too thick or lacking sauce, add a spoonful of pasta water at a time. After about 3 minutes, taste a penne to make sure it is cooked to al dente and if you need to further season the pasta.
11. Serve in a large pasta serving dish and enjoy right away. Be sure to save about a 1/2 cup of pasta water in case you need to thin out the sauce more later on.
Read more Food History of Pasta + Recipes!:
The Complex History of the Simple Carbonara
Penne Vodka History: Is it from Italy or America?
Twirl Back in Time to Learn About Japanese Spaghetti Napolitan History
Japanese Spaghetti Napolitan Without Ketchup Recipe
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Tastiest Meat-free, Plant-based Healthy Pasta Recipe
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