Creamy Penne alla Vodka with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes
Tender penne pasta is enveloped in a silky homemade vodka sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes, cream, Parmesan, and fresh basil. Slowly roasting the sauce in the oven concentrates the tomato flavor, creating an irresistible Italian pasta dinner that tastes far better than anything from a jar.
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 609kcal
Equipment
- Large oven-proof sauté pan or braiser.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 ½ cups onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes use ¼ tsp. if you like less heat.
- 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
- 1 cup vodka
- 56 oz. San Marzano tomatoes **see notes two 28-oz cans peeled plum tomatoes
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb. penne pasta ** see notes may substitute with whatever shape you like
- 1 Tbsp. basil pesto
- ¼ cup heavy cream or more as needed
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- 2 Tbsp. Basil cut into ribbons
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese a bit more for sprinkling on top of pasta
- Parmesan rind optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan or braiser over medium heat, then add the onions and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until onions are translucent.
- Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the vodka and cook until the mixture is reduced by half, about 5 minutes more.
- Drain the tomatoes through a sieve over a bowl. Save the strained juice for later use. It can be frozen.
- With your hands, crush the tomatoes into the braiser or saucepan.
- Add 2 teaspoons of salt and a pinch of pepper. Add the Parmesan rind.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid or foil and place it in the oven, and bake for 1 ½ hours. Keep an eye on the pan so the sauce doesn’t dry out too much. (I added a bit of the leftover tomato juice to the sauce as it cooked. )
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts (16 cups) of water to a rolling boil. of a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water generously with 2 Tablespoons of Kosher salt and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Remove the sauce from the oven and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Remove the parmesan rind. Use an immersion blender to purée the sauce until smooth. You can also use a blender or food processor to purée in batches. Take care around the hot sauce. Be sure to use potholders or dish towels. You also need to hold down the blender lid when you’re working with hot food.
- Return the sauce to the pan and reheat over the stove.
- Add 1 Tablespoon of basil pesto and 1 Tablespoon of butter.
- Pour in the heavy cream to achieve a creamy consistency. Taste. Add more as necessary. You can go as much as 1 cup of heavy cream if the taste
- Add salt and pepper, if necessary, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan Cheese.
- Serve with a sprinkle of fresh basil and Parmesan cheese on each plate.
Notes
A 56-0z. batch of San Marzano tomatoes (typically 2- 28 oz.) cans will make about 6 to 8 cups (48 to 64 ounces) of vodka sauce. That’s after you add the cream, vodka, and aromatics, then let it simmer.
Since a 1-pound box of penne only needs about 3 to 4 cups of sauce, you have enough sauce for 2 full pounds of pasta.
How to Split It
- For your 1 lb box of penne: use half of your sauce batch (about 3 to 4 cups). This will feed 5 to 6 people generously.
- For the leftover sauce: Store the remaining 3 to 4 cups in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Add fresh basil and extra cheese only after you reheat it.
Nutrition
Calories: 609kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 822mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1003IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 5mg