A flashback to the disco
It had seemed that this symbol of trendy cuisine from the 1970s and 80s had gone the way of polyester suits and leg warmers. But penne alla vodka has made a comeback thanks to celebrity chefs like Valentino Bontempi. Today it’s considered a typical Italian American cuisine item.
Like so many dishes, there are conflicting claims as to the origin of penne alla vodka. In his 2022 documentary, Disco Sauce: The True Story of Penne Alla Vodka, director Roberto Serrini examines the history and variations of the dish. Their quest starts with Italian comic actor Ugo Tognazzi and his cookbook L’Abuffone: Funny Stories and Recipes to Die For. Tognazzi, uses Polish chili infused vodka, with tomatoes and cream in a dish he called penne all’infuriata. But who came up the name penne alla vodka?
So far, there are three contenders that claim to have created penne alla vodka. Two are American; Queens, NY housewife, Margie Sorrentino and Columbia University alum, James Doty. However, the first time the dish appeared on a restaurant menu was at Dante in Bologna Italy in the 1970s.
Versatile Penne all vodka
Penne alla vodka can be served as a simple vegetarian dish. Make sure to top it with lots of extra Parmesan cheese and parsley. Some popular variations call for topping the pasta with chopped smoked salmon or even caviar. As a side dish, it works beautifully with salmon and shrimp. One dish that pairs quite well with it is Sweet Chili Glazed Salmon.
Preparing the penne and sauce
For the pasta, you have a few options. Penne comes in smooth (lisce) or rigid (rigate). But, any similar tubular shaped pasta, like rigatoni or pennine, will work just fine. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and remember to reserve some of the pasta water. It gets added to the sauce later.
It’s the vodka that provides the magic to this sauce. If we were to simply add cream to tomato sauce it would not combine well. Vodka is used as a flavour enhancer and an emulsifier to blend the tomato sauce and the cream into a silky sauce.
The sauce is quite simple to make. Start by sautéing the chopped onion in olive oil, then add the chili flakes, crushed tomatoes and vodka. For a chunkier sauce use peeled fresh roma tomatoes or canned San Marzano. Let this simmer for a couple of minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off. Blend in the cream with the pasta water and heat until the sauce starts to simmer. Remove from the heat before stirring in the Parmesan cheese and the pasta. Serve topped with a little parsley and extra grated Parmesan cheese.
Penne alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 8 oz uncooked penne pasta about 2 cups
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ tsp chili pepper flakes
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes or passata
- 2 oz vodka
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Once cooked, save ¼ cup of the pasta water then drian the rest. Set aside.
- To a large pan, add the olive oil, heat to medium then add the onion and cook until transparent. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and vodka to the pan. Bring to a simmer then stir in the cream and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from the heat and stir in the cheese. Stir in the pasta and the reserved pasta water.
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[…] salmon goes so well with a side of pasta. I like to pair this dish with penne alla vodka for a winning flavour combination. And both can be cooked up at the same time. Add a side of […]