Penne alla Vodka

Ingredients

• 400 g penne
• 150 g double-concentrate tomato puree
• 60 ml vodka
• 200 ml double cream
• 2 shallots, very finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 40 g butter
• 1 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 70 g parmesan, grated
• a handful of basil

Method

1. Soften the shallots

   Cook the shallots and garlic in the butter over a low heat with the chilli until completely soft and sweet, without colouring.

   8 min

2. Fry the tomato puree

   Add the tomato puree and cook it, stirring, for a full five minutes until it darkens from bright red to brick and starts sticking. This is the step that matters — raw puree tastes tinny and sharp, cooked out it turns deep and sweet.

   5 min

3. Vodka, then cream

   Pour in the vodka and let it bubble for a minute, then stir in the cream. The vodka is not a gimmick: alcohol releases aroma compounds in tomato that neither water nor fat can, which is why the sauce smells so strongly. Boil it briefly so no harshness stays.

   3 min

4. Cook the pasta short

   Boil the penne two minutes under the packet time and save a big mug of the water.

5. Finish in the pan

   Drag the pasta into the sauce with a good splash of the water and toss hard over the heat until it turns glossy and coats every tube. Off the heat, stir in the parmesan and basil.