Penne alla Vodka with Sausage
This is a wicked good pasta - the cherry tomatoes burst and meld with crushed tomatoes and cream to make a sauce that's rich without being heavy. The sausage adds enough body to make it feel like a proper meal.
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 3/4 lb ground Italian sausage, sweet recommended
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, some halved, some whole
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt, more to taste
- 1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper, more to taste
- 1 can crushed tomatoes, 28 oz
- 1/3 cup vodka
- 3/4 lb penne, or similar tube shape
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup finely-shredded Pecorino Romano, or Parmesan
- Fresh basil chiffonade, to serve and to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and brown the ground sausage, breaking it into crumbles, until cooked through about 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and wipe out the pan.
- Add olive oil to the pan and sauté the diced onion for 4 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 3 minutes until darkened and fragrant.
- Add cherry tomatoes, salt, and pepper, cooking 8-10 minutes while stirring occasionally and pressing them against the pan to burst.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes and vodka, then return sausage to the pan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring often and partially covering with a gap for steam to escape.
- Meanwhile, boil salted water in a large pot and cook penne according to package directions for al dente, about 7-8 minutes.
- Drain pasta and set aside.
- Reduce sauce heat to low and stir in heavy cream and Pecorino Romano, cooking a few minutes more to thicken.
- Stir in drained pasta and fresh basil to taste.
Notes
Reserve pasta water if you prefer a thinner sauce consistency.