There are recipes that are arguably better left to restaurant chefs, but pasta alla vodka isn’t one of them. The dish is easy, requires little prep time, and is deeply satisfying. Before you convince yourself there’s no way that a little onion, tomato paste, and cream can come together in mere minutes to make one of the best homemade pasta sauces you've ever had, watch Molly Baz make it and then it yourself.
Instead of canned tomatoes or tomato sauce, our version of this iconic Italian pasta dish relies on an entire tube of double-concentrate tomato paste, which according to Molly, contains 27 tomatoes per tube. Texture is key here; you want a glossy sauce. When you smash the garlic to remove the peels, be sure to give the cloves a good hard whack with the back of the knife so they melt into the sauté. A dash of chile flakes adds warmth without making things too spicy, but feel free to add more if you like it hot. Combining the cream with boiling water—and switching the stove to low heat before mixing it in—ensures the pasta sauce doesn’t break. Meanwhile, grating Parmesan on the smallest side of a box grater helps the cheese become one with the tomato-based sauce.
And yes, you can use penne or your favorite pasta shape for this recipe, but we find rigatoni a touch more interesting. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with garlic bread and maybe a side veggie or salad.
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