My Vodka Sauce
Traditional Vodka Sauce is vegetarian. We like meat, so I added meat, and it turns out we think this was a good idea. Give it a try. You may agree
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage (loose, if you can find it, removed from casing and crumbled, or cooked as a link, then sliced)
1 ½ heavy cream
6 T. butter
½ C. tomato paste
¾ C. vodka
3 T. basil, slivered
2 T. Salt, plus more to taste
1 lb. Penne or other tubular pasta
Parmesan Cheese to taste
Chef’s tip: If you prefer, you can use sausage links and slice and brown them and serve them as chunks rather than loose ground. Either works.
Instructions:
1. In a large sauté pan over medium high, heat oil until hot. Add loose sausage and brown, breaking it up until crumbly and no long pink – about 10 minutes.
2. While the sausage is browning, put cream in a microwave-safe container and heat for 30 seconds – just enough to get it to room temperature. This prevents it from curdling – if you put cold cream into a hot pan, it can curdle.
3. When the sausage is done, remove it from the pan onto a plate or bowl and wipe out the pan, being careful not to burn yourself.
4. Return the pan to the stove on medium heat and add the butter and cream and melt together, stirring to combine.
5. While the butter is melting, in a small bowl (can be the one you used for warming the cream) combine the tomato paste and vodka and stir to dissolve the paste into the vodka.
6. When the butter has melted and the cream and butter are combined, add the tomato paste mixture and stir until combined with cream mixture and the sauce is an even orange color.
7. Return sausage to pan and simmer sauce (don’t allow to boil) for 5-10 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Just before serving sprinkle basil over sauce.
8. While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water with 2 T. salt to a boil, then add penne and cook according to package directions. Drain. Serve with sauce and Parmesan cheese.