Pasta alla Vodka

I love vodka based drinks, and so I pretty much always have some vodka hanging around in the freezer. When I found this recipe, I knew I had to make it since I hadn't yet tried a vodka pasta sauce yet. So, here you go, enjoy!

Here's the recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman.


Prep Time: 15 min | Cooking Time: 25 min | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 3


Ingredients:
8 ounces Pasta (any shape, but I used Penne)
1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoons Butter
½ Whole Medium Onion, Chopped Finely
1 Cloves (To 2 Cloves) Garlic, Chopped
⅓ cup (to 1/2 Cup) Vodka
½ 14 oz. can of Tomato Puree (I couldn't find this in the store, so I used half tomato paste, half water to make the 7 oz. you need.)
½ cup Heavy Cream
½ Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
⅛ tsp (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese


Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, being careful not to overcook.


2. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add in chopped onion and garlic. Stir and allow to cook for two minutes. Pour in vodka. Stir and cook for three minutes. Add in tomato puree and stir.


3. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Allow to simmer, being careful not to overheat. Stir in red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.


4. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water in case sauce is too thick. Add cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. Splash in a little water if it needs it. Stir in Parmesan cheese.


5. Pour mixture into large serving bowl. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese.