RIGATONI alla VODKA 

(serves 4-6)

1 box dried mezze rigatoni

2 tablespoons olive oil 

2 tablespoons butter 

1 small shallot, minced 

4 cloves garlic, minced 

Pinch red pepper flakes 

½ cup vodka 

½ cup tomato paste (about ⅔ of a 6-ounce can)

½ – ¾ cup heavy cream 

salt and pepper 

Grated parmesan or pecorino for serving

Fresh parsley for serving (optional)

A note about timing: this sauce comes together in just under 15 minutes. If you are a skilled cook who lives to multitask, make the sauce while your pasta cooks, just be sure to use a timer so you don’t accidentally overcook the pasta. If you need things a little calmer in the kitchen and the idea of two things happening at once stresses you out, make the pasta first and set aside, it will warm back up in the sauce at the end. 

Season a large pot of water with a few big pinches of salt and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until just 1 minute shy of al dente. While your pasta is cooking, use a heat proof cup (a Pyrex measuring cup or a coffee mug) to scoop out about 1 ½ cups of the pasta cooking water. Set aside until needed. 

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet or braising pan over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes until the shallot is softened and translucent but not browned. Add the vodka and cook until almost all of the liquid is gone, another 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato paste – no need to be super fussy about measuring, simply use ‘most’ of a 6-ounce can. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the color has darkened just a bit. Add one cup of your reserved pasta water, stirring constantly to scrape any stuck tomato paste from the pan. The mixture should now resemble a sauce. Season with two teaspoons of salt and as many grinds of black pepper as you prefer. Simmer for another two minutes and then add ½ cup heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. If you like your vodka sauce super pale pink and creamy, add more cream, up to another ½ cup. If you prefer your sauce more tomato-y, stop at a half cup. We used a half cup plus two more small splashes. 

Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss to coat, splashing in a little of the remaining reserved pasta water, if needed. Cook pasta and sauce together for one minute. Serve immediately topped with grated parmesan or pecorino and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, if using. 

Serving suggestion: this is one of our favorite Sunday suppers because it’s such fantastic comfort food, but you don’t have to be in the kitchen all day long. To round out the meal, we always make a big green salad with a vinaigrette and bake up some Bell and Evans Breaded Chicken Breasts for a protein on the side. 

A note about the vodka: I know some people are bound to ask, “Can I make this without vodka?” The short answer is, no. Without vodka, it simply is not vodka sauce. That being said, you could omit the vodka and use a splash of white vinegar and more pasta water in its place, but it would just be a tomato cream sauce, not vodka sauce. The alcohol in this is almost completely cooked off since the vodka is added so early, so rest assured you will not catch a buzz off this sauce (sorry).

BEVERAGE PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

Vodka sauce is a classic red sauce experience with a little extra oomph from the vodka and cream. This is an easy dish to pair with almost any Italian wine. Our favorite match for a white wine is the Dimajo Norante Falanghina. Clear straw yellow in the glass with aromas of juicy lemon, grapefruit and a hint of chamomile, this 100% organic white comes from a growing area on the Adriatic coast. Medium-bodied and juicy with generous tropical fruit flavors and crisp minerality, this wine matches nicely with a savory sauce. Your favorite pinot grigio would also be a killer match here. 

For a red wine with this, sangiovese would be our go-to. Light on its feet with ample acidity and a bone dry finish, the I Lauri ‘Salto’ Sangiovese would be the move here. Clear red-violet colored in the glass with aromas of cherry preserves, wild berries and dried herbs. On the palate, this wine is fresh and easy going with lively acidity, ample red fruit and a touch of spice. This is a crowd pleasing and affordable red that will match nicely with just about any pizza or pasta you can get your hands on. 

For the beer lovers in the bunch, we think the soft, slightly spiced flavor of a wheat ale would be the best pairing here. Allagash White Ale is a Belgian-style wheat beer made in Portland, Maine that has been a bestseller in our beer fridge for years. Hazy yellow-gold colored in the glass with aromas of juicy orange and warm coriander, this is a delightful brew that’s both complex and refreshing, with great balance. The creamy texture and crisp acidity are a match made in heaven with our savory vodka sauce.