Weekends for some sad(istic) reason tend to pass by quicker than a flash. Even more so if you (like me) have a thousand and one errands to run. I now constantly get asked this one question- ‘while working full time, how do you get the time to cook—AND blog about it!!??’ The answer is simply- ‘I do it on the weekend’. That takes us back to the weekend. It’s just too short. And when you are tight on time, here’s something to lift your spirits- in every which way, on any which day.
Penne Alla Vodka
Ingredients: (serves 4)
1. 800gm Italian plum tomatoes (whole)
2. 2 tbs olive oil
3. ½ small onion, peeled and grated
4. 1 tbs tomato puree
5. 2 tsp minced garlic
6. 2 tsp chilli flakes
7. Salt, to taste
8. 1/3 cup vodka
9. ½ cup heavy cream
10. 3 cups dry penne
11. Basil leaves, for garnish
12. Parmesan, for garnish
Method:
1. Separate the tomatoes equally- puree one half in a food processor. Coarsely chop the other half, in its juices.
2. Cook the pasta according to package instructions (with 1 tbs of olive oil and a punch of salt). Rinse out with cold water to stop it from overcooking. Retain half a cup of the pasta water for cooking at a later stage, if required.
3. Heat the olive oil (you don’t even need extra virgin for this) on a large enough non stick pan for the eventual mixing with the pasta, on medium heat. Once you can see the olive oil glistening, add the onion and the tomato paste until lightly brown, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the garlic, chilli and after 30 seconds, add the tomatoes and season to taste. I even sprinkled a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Let it cook well for 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and add the vodka. Return to heat and set the alcohol cook off. This would take a good 15 minutes. Taste to check.
6. Stir in the cream and combine well.
7. Add the pasta. Stir well and ensure that the pasta is well covered. If the sauce is too thick, add the pasta water as required. Season to taste. Garnish with the basil and freshly grated parmesan and serve steaming hot with a nice crusty ciabatta! Yum.
