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Pasta alla vodka

Pasta alla vodka

Esther Clark

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Serves 2

Easy

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 25 mins

A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.140 ratingsRate

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Sit back and tuck into a big bowl of pasta alla vodka, a creamy tomato pasta with – as you can guess – vodka, which balances out the intense flavours

High-fibre

Nut-free

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Esther's tips for the perfect vodka pasta:

If you fancy a little more heat, I sometimes add a pinch more chilli flakes to the sauce – just be careful not to overpower the creamy tomato flavour.
Don't be tempted to skip the vodka. It doesn't make the sauce taste alcoholic, but it helps bring out the flavours of the tomatoes and creates the classic smooth, well-balanced finish. But, if you'd prefer to leave it out, simply replace it with a splash of vegetable stock or water.
For a little extra flavour, I sometimes add crisp pancetta. If I'm after a vegetarian version, I stir in sautéed mushrooms or spinach instead and swap the parmesan for a vegetarian hard cheese.
I like to reserve a bit of the pasta cooking water and add it gradually to the sauce. This helps to create that glossy, silky finish that coats the pasta perfectly.
This is a recipe that you can bulk up and add fibre to by stirring in a tin or jar of rinsed white beans.

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

2 tbsp olive oil
1 banana shallot

or ½ onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves

crushed
¼ tsp chilli flakes
100g tomato purée
5 tbsp vodka
100ml double cream
200g penne or rigatoni pasta
30g grated parmesan

or vegetarian alternative, plus extra to serve
small handful of basil

leaves, to serve

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Nutrition: Per serving

kcal866
fat43g
saturates21g
carbs73g
sugars9g

low
fibre9g

high
protein20g
salt0.4g

low

Method

step 1

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or casserole dish. Add the shallot and a large pinch of salt and gently fry over a low heat for 10 mins or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Stir through the tomato purée, cook for 2 mins, then stir through the vodka and cook for 3 mins. Quickly stir through the cream to combine, then remove from the heat.
step 2

Cook the pasta in salted water following pack instructions. Drain and reserve 150ml cooking water. Add roughly 50ml of the water to the tomato sauce, then tip in the pasta and cheese, tossing everything together over a low heat until well coated and glossy (loosen with a splash more of the cooking water if it’s a little dry). Season to taste, then serve with a sprinkling of the extra parmesan, a good grinding of black pepper and the basil leaves scattered over the top.

Esther Clark

Esther is a freelance cookery writer and the previous Deputy Editor of Good Food. She trained at Leith's School of Food and Wine, worked as a chef on a farm in Italy and has also written a cookbook. She's passionate about writing simple recipes with practical tips to inspire and put to good use in your own kitchen. At home she loves to cook comforting dishes in her little East London kitchen for hungry friends. Discover more of Esther's recipes

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2021

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A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.140 ratings

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