Penne alla Vodka

[kirra]

Penne alla Vodka

Ingredients:

2 (35 ounce) cans of whole peeled tomatoes (only use 1.5 of them)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh, chopped basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup vodka
1 lb penne
1 3/4 cup of cream (your choice of half and half, light cream, or heavy)
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (buy a wedge and grate yourself)

Preparation:

Using your hands, open up the tomatoes from your can and a half. Pull the tomatoes apart into smaller chunks, removing the seeds, and place them into a bowl.

Pour the olive oil into a large skillet, and cook the garlic until tender (about 1-2 minutes). Add tomatoes and stir. Add basil, salt, and pepper. Cook until sauce comes to a slight boil, then simmer for 15 minutes (using very low heat–this can be tricky on gas stoves).

Stir in vodka and cook for 15 more minutes. While the sauce is still cooking, place a large pot of water on the stove to heat. When the water comes to a boil, add salt. Once the pot of water starts boiling again, add the penne. Cook for about 10 minutes and then drain.

When the 15 minutes are up on the sauce, stir the cream into the skillet and simmer for about 15 more minutes. Toss the penne with the sauce and serve. Add cheese if desired. Makes enough sauce for 1 lb of penne (serves 5-6 people)