my favorite alla vodka
As part of my mortal terror of "getting old" and "being boring" I typically go out of my way to throw on a dress and have glamorous-sounding Saturdays. Netflix rot is fine on Tuesday but on the weekends, unless too hung over to function, I am bad at sitting around when I could be Living Life.
Obviously now Living Life is not an option, so instead I am re-watching the Japanese version of Death Note and spending a lot of time Reflecting On Life, mostly by force. One reflection is things I’ve taken for granted: including the restaurant that inspired my original vodka sauce, Jon and Vinny’s, where I used to watch glamorous skinny people get down on bowls of cacio e pepe and fried mozz sticks while Kanye’s entourage sat in the corner, leering at the rest of the tables. Their vodka sauce is creamy, spicy, and bright. But something other than atmosphere was always missing when I would make vodka sauce at home.
It’s tough to nail down what the “best” vodka sauce is, because it’s personal. Vodka sauces all vary minimally, and none of them are any more correct than any other—but individual taste will dictate which recipe you like to use. My personal favorite glossy, spicy version includes calabrian chiles for extra heat, way more garlic than is otherwise advisable, no uninvited onion, and a lot of vodka—but with slightly less cream than others use (1/2 cup for the recipe instead of 1-2). I also like to add torn fresh herbs for a little green at the end if it’s dollar basil season at the farmer’s market, but it’s equally amazing without them. He’s still not for every day, or for everyone, but let me tell you: he’s a lot of fun to host as a periodic houseguest.
RECIPE
A classic, creamy, spicy silky-smooth sauce alla vodka, perfected. Ideal for rigatoni. Taste and believe.
Effortful time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
YOU NEED
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 tbsp. double concentrated tomato paste
1/2 cup vodka, use what you have (I have Tito’s from Costco)
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt (not including salt for pasta water)
1 tsp Calabrian chiles in oil, optional (can sub chili flakes, but the chiles really kick it into turbo overdrive—I often double this because I like it hot!)
8 oz. pasta, your choice—I like short, ridgy shapes
Torn basil and either parm or pecorino (my choice), for serving
MAKE IT
Get prepped. Start boiling some pasta water in a skillet, and salt heavily. Mince the garlic.
Build the sauce base. Heat butter and oil in a small dutch oven or medium saucepan (3ish qts) over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds or so. Then dump in the chiles, salt, and tomato paste and whisk together into the fat until the red starts to caramelize into orange.
Deglaze with the vodka. Let this cook until reduced almost completely, 5 minutes or so.
Cook the pasta. As the vodka cooks off, put your pasta in to boil.
Simmer the sauce. Back in the sauce pot, whisk in the cream and let deepen in color from pinkish orange to milky rust orange, about 5 minutes, keeping at a steady bubbly simmer.
Finish the sauce. When pasta is done, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to the sauce, along with a scoop of the water (don’t drain it, just keep it on the stove til you’re done). Fire the heat back up to low and stir until everything is thicc n glossy.
Serve it up. Scatter on some torn basil, shower with cheese, and maybe sprinkle a few extra chili flakes on top. Close your eyes, dim the lights, and think about where Kanye is right now.