Penne Alla Vodka

A few of my bridesmaids came over the other night to help me address, stamp, stuff and seal my save-the-dates. It was a very last minute decision since I had recently found out my shipment would be arriving that morning, and I wanted to get them in the mail as soon as possible. It was a Friday (and who really wants to be licking envelopes on a Friday night?), so I wanted to at least make them dinner and give them some wine as a thank you.  My first thought was to make this recipe and I'm so glad I did. It turned out delicious and they all really enjoyed it!

I love ordering Penne Alla Vodka at restaurants, so I was so glad that this sauce came out the way it did. It was amazing. The red pepper flakes infused in the vodka beforehand added a little heat, and the addition of cream really balanced out the flavors. I'm glad I stuck to my guns and added the prosciutto, because it was a pleasant surprise and added a lot of flavor. This is definitely in the running for my favorite Penne alla Vodka recipe of all time. Enjoy and have a fabulous weekend!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (12 oz.) box penne pasta
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 3/4 lb. prosciutto, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (8 oz.) can of water
• 1 cup light cream
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine vodka and red pepper flakes. Set aside for one hour (longer or less time depending on how spicy you want it).

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute prosciutto, garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper until prosciutto is evenly brown, about 3 minutes.

Pour in vodka mixture and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in crushed tomatoes with 2 cans of tomato sauce and 1 (8 oz.) can of water.  Simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup light cream and cook two minutes.

Toss with cooked penne and serve. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Source: Adapted from All Recipes