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Creamy Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka
by Unknown
Prep: 10 minCook: 20 minTotal: 30 min4 servings0 forks
Silky tomato-cream sauce with a fiery kick of chili, tossed with al dente rigatoni and finished with loads of parmesan. Restaurant-worthy comfort food in 30 minutes flat.
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely diced — or 1/2 yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes — plus more to taste
- 1/3 cup vodka
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese — plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn — plus more for garnish
- 1 tsp kosher salt — plus more for the pasta water
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- 1Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni 1 minute shy of the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- 2While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes; cook until the paste darkens to a brick red, about 2 minutes.
- 3Pour in the vodka and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer until the sharp alcohol smell cooks off and the liquid reduces by about half, 2 to 3 minutes.
- 4Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer gently until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Keep it at a gentle bubble so the sauce stays silky.
- 5Add the drained rigatoni straight into the sauce along with the butter and Parmesan. Toss vigorously, loosening with splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce clings to every tube, glossy and smooth.
- 6Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Top with torn basil and extra Parmesan and serve immediately.
Recipe Lineage
The family tree of this recipe — trace every fork back to the original.