Penne With Vodka Sauce

Weekends are the perfect time to cook something that requires awhile in the oven, because then you have a perfect excuse to sit on the couch while the oven does the work for you.  It's GENIUS.

This is a fabulous, flavorful way to make penne.  The long cooking time allows the tomato flavor to sweeten and intensify, and the vodka gives a tang that offsets the richness of the heavy cream.

Oh, and there's heavy cream in it (see above).  Do you need to know more?

I love meat-free meals, and this pasta alone would CERTAINLY fit that bill.  However, for people who enjoy a lean protein with their meal, this sweet, mild pasta sauce goes fabulously with spicy, smoky blackened chicken.  Embrace the duality of the flavors!

This method is simple and foolproof and will impress foodies and picky eaters alike.  You'll love it!

Here's what you need:

• Olive oil
• 1/2 onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 chili pepper or 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• vodka
• 1 large can whole tomatoes
• heavy cream
• penne pasta (I cook a whole box and use about 3/4 of the cooked pasta)
• salt

Toss the onion in the pan (it's fine if the oil isn't very hot yet), and add your pepper.  I had a whole fresno pepper, so I cut it in half and took out HALF the seeds (so it wouldn't be too spicy), and sliced the whole thing up into pretty half rings.

Once you've added the pepper to the onions, peel and mince the garlic.

Add the garlic to the pan with a sprinkle of salt, and stir it all together.

Let the vegetables cook for about 2 minutes until they are softened and fragrant but not brown.  Git yer oregano.

I have this ground stuff, but you could use dried leaves or 1 fresh sprig chopped up.  Whatever! Add the oregano to the pan and stir for one more minute.

Yep, no boxed wine up in here today. Pour in 3/4 cup vodka, and try not to light anything on fire...

See how bubbly it is?  Yum.  Now grab some tomatoes!

While the vodka reduces, crush the tomatoes by hand into the pan, and ADD THE JUICES.  I like some big pieces of tomato in this, but if you like smooth sauce you can break them up really small or even use crushed tomatoes.

This takes a few minutes, so turn the heat down if you need to - we only want the vodka to reduce by half, and we don't want the tomatoes to splatter all over the place!

Once all the tomatoes are added in, add another sprinkle of salt, and stick the whole thing with a lid in the oven!

Time for the couch!  Walk away (or, if you're me, clean the splattered tomato off the floor, stove, walls, dog, and boyfriend) for 30 minutes.

See the black bits?  YES.  We want that, but not too many.  Turn off the stove, and put the sauce over low heat on the stovetop.

When the sauce is incorporated with the pasta water and the pasta is cooked, drain it, saving one more cup of water if you think you might need it.

Now, the moment has come to add 1/2 (or more!) cup cream to the sauce.

That's heaven.  Now, stir in the pasta - use 3/4 first, and if there is tons of sauce add the rest.

I'm sorry, but that is really really delicious.  Taste it, and, without eating the whole pan, add more salt if you need to.

I serve this with sliced chicken when I'm feeding a crowd, but it is SO good alone, the chicken isn't really necessary.  What IS necessary, however, is garlic bread.  The heavy cream and parmesan need some butter to round out the meal, right?