Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date - Smoke theme and Penne alla Vodka

Welcome to Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date. This is my 'Smoke' themed piece, an ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2"). Just add your marshmallows and hotdogs here!

 For the dinner date, I am showing my Penne alla Vodka.  It is a rich and delicious sauce.  Here is my recipe:

3-4 slices of proscuitto, chopped

a sprig of basil leaves, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

2-3 tbs olive oil

1 tbs unsalted butter

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4c vodka

3/4 c parmesan cheese, grated (I prefer to use grano padano)

1/2 c pasta water

1/2 tsp dried parsley (you can use fresh if you have it)

3 c penne pasta

1 c light cream

Cook the pasta in salted water, save a half cup of pasta water.

Saute garlic, red pepper, basil in olive oil and butter.  Add proscuitto.  When it is browned, remove from the heat to ensure the vodka doesn't flame up.  Add the vodka.  When it settles, return to the heat and reduce for about 3 minutes.  Add the crushed tomatoes and the pasta water.  Reduce the sauce for about 30 minutes.  Add the cream and stir for about 3 minutes until thickened.  Mix in the parmesan cheese and parsley for another 3 minutes.

Add the sauce to the pasta as required.

Reduced sauce should look like this

Sauce with parmesan added