Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Tasty Tuesday: Vodka sauce

When I was little, I loved pasta. LOVED it. When we went to restaurants, I wanted spaghetti with butter on it. Sometimes cheese, but only American. I graduated to cheddar eventually. At home, I loved boxed macaroni and cheese. In fact, it's one of the first things I learned how to make on my own, on the stove.

I still don't much like red sauce. I am from the state of New Jersey, which means I must love tomatoes, and I do, but I pretty much can't/don't tolerate cooked tomatoes. Only in specific instances.

One of these instances? Penne a la vodka. Or rather, pasta with vodka sauce. I don't always use penne, though some kind of ridged tubular pasta is best, to catch the sauce most efficiently. I tried it at a restaurant once, when somebody else at the table had it, and went home and finagled my own formula, involving chipotle in addition to the regular crushed red pepper, and sometimes using bacon instead of the pancetta. I also use Asiago instead of regular parmesan, and some white cheddar (picky picky, right?), and add diced chicken breast.

Because of the alcohol (and because it's so darn good), this is one dish that doesn't typically get shared with Elka.




11 comments:

  1. Woof! Woof! My mom loves pasta. One of her favorite noodle is penne. Now you inspired her with this Vodka sauce. YUM! For sure you enjoyed it. Did you give Elka some cheese? Happy Tasty Tuesday. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

    ReplyDelete
  2. That sounds interesting, mom will try it too ;o)Thanks ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  3. We will take all the cheese!
    Benny & Lily

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Elka we came over from Lily's to see just who she was screaming about...now we see why you are a beauty
    Hugs madi and Mom

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jen, you've got me considering penne a la vodka as a weekend dinner option. I haven't made it in ages and almost forgot how much I love it.

    Hope Elka got a substitution to your awesome dinner :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. That sounds complicated, but delicious! I love tomato sauce - but the tomato chunks - no way. They are so...lumpy - it's almost as bad as eating ice cream with strawberry chunks in it. Ugh. Raw tomatoes ok - stewed tomatoes - not so much.

    I hope Elka didn't sneak any - I bet she thought it smelled heavenly!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm drooling everywhere...I haven't had penne a la vodka in so loooong. (And now I want it RIGHT NOW)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Its my first time to heard about a Vodka sauce. It really attract me and i want to try this kind of recipe of yours and how those it taste like. I also want to know if i can used Anestasia Vodka on this recipe? If you have not try Anestasia Vodka see it here http://www.thecocktailstylist.com/2012/12/06/anestasia-the-worlds-first-tingling-vodka/

    ReplyDelete