Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 30 g unsalted butter, divided
- 15 ml olive oil
- 2 shallot, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 g red pepper flakes
Sauce
- 130 g tomato paste
- 60 ml vodka
- 180 ml heavy cream, room temperature
Pasta & Finish
- 450 g penne rigate
- 60 g parmigiano-reggiano, finely grated
- 10 g fresh basil, torn
- kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 770 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbohydrates
- 93 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 519 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 77 mg
- Potassium
- 1136 mg
- Calcium
- 246 mg
- Iron
- 6.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 142 mg
- Phosphorus
- 491 mg
- Zinc
- 3.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 370 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 17 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 15 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 9 mcg
- Water
- 53 g
- Alcohol
- 5 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large stockpot of heavily salted water to a boil.
While water heats, melt half the butter (15g) with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced shallot and salt lightly. Sauté until softened but not browned.
Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the tomato paste. Cook the paste, stirring constantly, until it turns a deep brick-red color and separates from the oil. This step is crucial for flavor depth.
Remove pan from heat briefly (for safety) and pour in the vodka. Return to medium heat and simmer rapidly to deglaze the pan and reduce the liquid by half, removing the harsh alcohol bite.
Stir in the heavy cream. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly and becomes uniform.
Add penne to the boiling water. Cook until very al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than package directions), as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Reserve 120ml (1/2 cup) of pasta water, then drain the pasta. Immediately transfer the pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Add 60ml (1/4 cup) of pasta water.
Cook over medium-high heat, tossing vigorously, until the sauce clings to the pasta. Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining butter (15g) and half the parmesan cheese until melted and glossy.
Garnish with fresh torn basil and the remaining parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Do not skip the vodka. While it doesn't make the dish 'boozy', vodka acts as a solvent for flavor compounds in the tomatoes that are alcohol-soluble but not water-soluble, creating a flavor profile you cannot achieve with stock or water.
- Use 'double concentrate' tomato paste for the correct texture. Canned crushed tomatoes will make the sauce too watery and dilute the creaminess.
- The 'Mantecatura' step (Step 8) is vital. Adding cold butter and cheese off the heat creates an emulsion that makes the sauce stick to the pasta rather than sliding off.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Sauce may separate upon reheating; add a splash of water and stir gently.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the emulsion.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is oily or separated
Cause: The emulsion broke due to high heat or insufficient starch
Fix: Add a splash of hot pasta water and shake the pan vigorously to re-emulsify
Prevention: Do not let the sauce boil vigorously after adding cream/butter
Sauce tastes metallic or acidic
Cause: Tomato paste wasn't cooked long enough
Fix: Stir in a pinch of sugar or a small knob of extra butter
Prevention: Ensure tomato paste turns brick red before deglazing
Cultural Context
Penne alla Vodka rose to prominence in the 1980s, becoming a symbol of fashionable dining in Italy and the US. While its exact origins are disputed—claimed by chefs in Bologna, Rome, and New York—it remains a staple of 'disco era' cuisine, celebrated for bridging the gap between tomato-based and cream-based pasta traditions.
