Spicy Garlicky Vodka Sauce

Spring is here, but it feels like this beautiful season is being seen and felt through a kaleidoscope. Flowers are blooming, life is bursting from the earth, but it’s not the same Spring we’ve always known. It’s different, it’s distant, and it’s unsettling. 

Stumbling through this bizarre alternative universe means there’s no escaping anxiety. It’s always hiding in some corner of our homes, so I’ve been seeking comfort instead of fixating on the uncertainty brought on by this strange new world. It’s those little comforts that help keep the enemy at bay, and I’ve chosen a mighty weapon to aid my defense, and that weapon is PASTA. 

Chopping a heap of garlic, crushing tomatoes between my fingers, a generously filled wine glass within arm’s length, grating parmesan, watching the steam leap off the noodles as you lift them out of their salty jacuzzi, scraping butter over thick crusty slices of sourdough - all of these things bring me back to solid ground. 

This recipe is easy, made up of mostly pantry staples, has built-in leftovers, and delivers one of the most rewarding and indulgent meals. So take a deep breath, pinch a few flowers off the budding tree in your yard, fill up your wine glass, and let’s make some pasta.

You’re going to want to use really good canned tomatoes - if you can find Bianco Dinapoli SNATCH THEM UP. They’re the best, hands down. I will go to the ends of the earth to hunt them down. They’re so delicious I can eat them straight out of the can.

Alison Roman made me embrace anchovies. I don’t know how she did it, but she did.

Garlicky Spicy Vodka Sauce

Serves 4 (plus leftovers)

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons olive oil 

• 8 large cloves of garlic (or 10 to 12 medium cloves), chopped

• 1 large yellow onion (or two small), chopped

• 4 to 8 Calabrian chili peppers packed in oil, minced (can sub with 1 to 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes)

• 6 anchovy fillets 

• Salt 

• Freshly ground pepper

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste 

• ½ cup vodka

• 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

• 1 parmesan rind (just need 4 to 6 inch piece of rind) *optional

• 1 cup heavy cream 

• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan (or ¾ cup if no rind)

• 1 pound rigatoni, or any pasta you have on hand

Instructions:

1. Heat olive in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook until garlic becomes golden and onion becomes translucent - about 5 to 6 minutes. 

2. Add Calabrian chili peppers (or red pepper flakes) and anchovies. Start with 4 peppers (or 1 teaspoon), but add more to taste. I like some heat, so I typically use 8 peppers (or 2 teaspoons). Cook until anchovies dissolve into skillet, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

3. Stir in tomato paste, cook for a couple minutes or until fragrant, then pour in the vodka. Stir to get all the good bits off the bottom of the pan, and be careful to not get too drunk off the vodka steam as it cooks down. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until vodka reduces by half. 

4. Then add can of crushed tomatoes. Fill empty can halfway with water, getting all tomato residue left in can, and add to skillet. Add whole tomatoes and crush each tomato - this is fun to do by hand, but you can use your spoon to get the job done in the skillet. Pour in any tomato juices left in the can to the sauce. Stir to combine, then add in a parmesan rind if you have one, season again with salt and pepper, and lower heat to medium low and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until it thickens and all the flavors meld together perfectly. 

5. During the last 10 minutes the sauce simmers, prepare the noodles according to packaging in seasoned water. Cook them until al dente - no mushy noodles! 

6. After sauce is done simmering, remove parmesan rind and stir in heavy cream and parmesan. Use ½ a cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese if you cooked with a rind, and ¾ cup of cheese if you didn’t have a rind. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

7. You might notice you have A LOT of sauce. That’s right, there’s built-in leftovers with this recipe! So, before you add noodles, remove half the sauce, put in a sealable container, and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days (if you can last that long before finishing it off). 

8. After you put aside half the sauce, add the noodles to the remaining sauce in the pan, toss to coat, and then serve! Grate some fresh parm on top, if you have fresh basil or oregano that’s another delicious topping.

9. Get your hands on some wine (I recommend Fossil and Fawn’s Pinot Noir) and EAT!!!