PHOTO BY JENNIFER CAUSEY
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium-size (8 0z.) yellow onions, finely chopped (3 cups)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (from 6 garlic cloves)
- 3/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper
- 1 cup (8 0z.) vodka
- 2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes with juices, tomatoes finely crushed by hand
- 1 pound uncooked penne
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 1/2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated on a microplane grater (about 1 2/3 cups)
Directions:
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and light golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add vodka, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and juices; bring to a boil over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and sauce thickens enough that a spoon leaves a path when drawn across the bottom of the pot, 50 to 55 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
- Add cream, salt, black pepper, and 2 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) of the cheese to tomato mixture in Dutch oven; stir until combined and cheese is fully melted. Add cooked pasta; toss to coat in sauce. Mix in reserved pasta cooking water 1/4 cup at a time to desired consistency.
- Divide pasta evenly among 6 bowls; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2-ounce (about 1/3 cup) cheese.
Recipe courtesy of: Food&Wine
Photo: by Jennifer Causey