This recipe is an adaptation of Ina Garten’s Nick and Toni’s Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola on foodnetwork.com. I didn’t actually see the episode, but was looking for a pasta recipe that mixed cream with the tomato sauce.
When I found this, I thought it sounded delicious. Boy was I right. The basic ingredients for the sauce include olive oil, onion, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, dried oregano, vodka, canned plum tomatoes, salt and pepper.
I sautéed the onions and garlic in olive oil for several minutes, followed by the addition of the red pepper flakes and oregano. Next, I added the vodka, and continued cooking until the liquid was reduced by half. In the meantime, I drained the tomatoes in a colander, and removed as many of the seeds as possible. Then I crushed the tomatoes with my hands into the pot containing the onion mixture, and poured in the juice that had been drained.
I mixed all of this together, and added a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper. Into a 375° F oven the covered pot went for 1½ hours.
I was concerned that the oven temperature was too high, but after the allotted time, the mixture was perfectly cooked. It was a bit burned looking around the edges, and seemed pretty thick. This, however, was not a problem at all.
After the mixture cooled for around 15 minutes, I puréed it in batches in the blender until the sauce was smooth, and poured the sauce into another pan.
After I reheated the sauce, I added the cream and stirred until the cream was well incorporated. When the pasta was done, I tossed it in the sauce with some grated Parmesan cheese. Yum!
2 Tablespoons olive oil Preheat oven to 375° F. Heat the olive oil in an oven proof Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano; cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half. Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes in a colander, and remove as many of the seeds as possible. Crush the tomatoes into the Dutch oven with your hands. Add the drained liquid from the tomatoes. Add salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1½ hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside. Place the tomato mixture in a blender and purée in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan. Reheat the sauce. Add the cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Correct the seasonings, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of chopped Italian parsley on each plate. Yield: 4 servings.
1 large onion, chopped
3 clover garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup vodka
2 (28-0unce) cans peeled plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ pound (12-ounces) penne pasta, cooked al dente according to package instructions
Grated Parmesan cheese
Italian parsley for garnish, if desired
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