PENNE ALLA VODKA 

If you are looking for a dish to help get you through the day after a long night of drinking, this one comes highly recommended! I don’t know where it originated, I just care that it works. Some say that Neapolitan-born chef Luigi Franzese invented Penne alla Vodka in the 1970’s at Orsini, an Italian restaurant in New York City, when he used a flask of vodka to thin the sauce he was cooking, calling it Penne alla Russa. Others say it started at Dante, a restaurant in Bologna, Italy, though most culinary arts historians give credit to chef James Doty, a Columbia University graduate, for inventing it in the 1980’s.

Thankfully Penne alla Vodka is rich in fats and carbohydrates, and is just the kind of food that will get you back in good spirits after night of drinking. While there may not be scientific evidence to  support whether fat does or does not alleviate hangover symptoms, nutritionists agree carbohydrates are key to restoring blood sugar levels after excessive alcohol consumption. And since most recipes call for the liquid to be very briefly simmered after the vodka is added, only about 40 percent of the alcohol burns off during cooking. Which means each serving of Penne alla Vodka contains approximately .84 ounces of vodka, equal to about half a cocktail – not an insignificant amount for someone seeking hair-of-the-dog relief. Have we met?

This recipe serves 2-3 

Ingredients: 

  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced 
  • ½ medium-sized onion, finely chopped 
  • One 14.5-ounce can of chopped tomatoes and their juices 
  • Pinch dried red pepper 
  • ½ pound penne, preferably penne rigate 
  • ¾ cup pasta water, reserved during cooking 
  • 1 ½ ounces vodka (roughly equivalent to most commercial shot glasses) 
  • ¼ cup heavy cream 
  • 1 tablespoon butter 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste 
  • 3-4 chopped fresh basil leaves, for garnish
  • Parmesan, for garnish

Directions: 

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. (DO NOT skip the salt. It is the only opportunity to actually flavor the  pasta and create the starchy pasta water you will reserve for your sauce.) 
  2. As your water comes to a boil, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and stir with a wooden spoon. After four to five minutes, when the onion starts to soften but is not yet translucent, add the garlic, season with salt, and give it all a good stir. Cook until both are soft, stirring occasionally, about five more minutes. 
  3. Add the tomatoes and their juices, plus red pepper flakes. Raise heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. 
  4. Has that water come to a boil? Add the pasta. Cook about 10 minutes, until al dente. (Exact cooking time will depend on pasta brand and shape; start checking at the eight-minute mark.) When the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain in a colander after reserving ¾ cup cooking water (this is enriched with starch, which will help the sauce adhere to your pasta). 
  5. Add the vodka to the tomato mixture in your saucepan. Lower heat and cook for 10 minutes. 
  6. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in heavy cream and butter until butter melts and both are evenly incorporated. Gradually add some reserved pasta water, starting with ¼ cup, until sauce reaches your desired consistency. (It should coat the back of the spoon.) Adjust seasonings. 
  7. Toss sauce with pasta and place into a bowl. To garnish, grate Parmesan and sprinkle basil leaves on top. Enjoy!