Vodka Cream Pasta

I tried out vodka pasta the other day using fresh ingredients from the farmer’s market!  Here’s the recipe I used:

• 1 quart of roma tomatoes (or 1 can of crushed tomatoes) – a quart was about 8 or 9 tomatoes for me
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion or shallots
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• olive oil
• 1/2 cup torn fresh basil

If you’re using fresh tomatoes, first cut in an X on the end of each tomato and drop them all in a pot of boiling water for about 4 minutes.  You’ll start to see the peels starting to separate. Take the tomatoes out and put them in cold water to bring the temperature low enough that you can handle them.  Peel the skin off with your hands – it should be super easy!

Next, use a serrated knife to chop the tomatoes roughly. Stick the tomatoes in a strainer of some sort – a colander should be fine. You want to get a good deal of the liquid innards out so that the sauce isn’t to watery later. I finished up the chopping by using kitchen shears (you can transfer it back to a board to chop as well, I just find shears to be a lot easier), and then crushed them a bit with a spoon.

Heat up a deep pan (I like to use a wok) with some olive oil, and start sauteeing the garlic and onion/shallots.  Continue sauteeing until the onion looks soft.  Throw in the vodka, and cook it down by at least half.

Add the tomatoes and chicken broth, stir. Throw in some salt and pepper.  Cook it down again for 3-4 minutes. Add cream and peas, turn heat to low, and stir gently to incorporate.  Simmer a bit longer until it looks nice and thick.  When it’s about ready, take it off the heat and stir in the torn basil.  Serve with pasta! I like to use penne.

If you like some heat with your sauce, try adding red pepper flakes to taste. I actually added a few pinches of it and it was good!

There is a version that Emeril Lagasse makes that involves bacon – you cut the bacon into small pieces and cook it first, using the fat to cook the onions afterwards. YUM. I’ll have to do that next time!