Spicy Vodka Rigatoni
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Spicy Vodka Rigatoni

Vodka Rigatoni Spicy

Italy meets New York — penne alla vodka's modern form, made with rigatoni and a spicy version. The sauce is a brilliant emulsion of tomato paste, heavy cream and vodka: the vodka releases fat-soluble flavour compounds in the tomato that water and fat alone cannot, creating an intensely tomato-forward, silky-smooth, luxurious sauce. The rigatoni is key — the ridges and tubes capture the sauce.

Total
50 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min

Ingredients

4 servings

Method

  1. Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add garlic and chilli flakes; cook 2 minutes.

    About 5 min

  2. Add tomato paste; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens (the "toasting" of the paste is essential for depth).

    About 14 min

  3. Add vodka; stir and let the alcohol cook off for 1–2 minutes.

    About 14 min

  4. Add cream; simmer 5 minutes until a deep orange, silky sauce forms.

    About 14 min

  5. Cook rigatoni al dente; reserve 100ml water. Drain. Add pasta to the sauce with a splash of pasta water; toss 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and butter. Top with basil. The sauce should coat every ridge and fill every tube.

    About 3 min

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Calories
620
Protein
20 g
Carbs
76 g
Fat
26 g
Fibre
5 g
Sugar
8 g
Sodium
640 mg

Contains: gluten, dairy

All Italian recipes

Recipe by Boon Tools.