A L L A V O D K A
blahblah vodka sauce
FENNEL SAUSAGE PENNETTE ALLA VODKA
serves 4
1 pound pennette pasta or whatever suits your fancy
2 tbsp butter
1 yellow onion diced
3 garlic cloves sliced
3-4 oz white wine
6 oz vodka (1/2 for early on 1/2 for later)
2 tbsp flour or cornstarch whisked in by the tbsp
2/3 cup veg broth or stock
3 sweet Italian sausages cut out of their casing
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (don’t buy grated!)
salt to taste
basil chiffonade for garnish
over medium heat add butter to a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven.
sweat onions and garlic until aromatic and nearly translucent.
add white wine, a pinch of salt, and allow to cook down for 5 minutes-ish.
add veg stock and allow to reduce by about half. should take about 8-10 minutes.
add 1/2 of the vodka (3 oz) and allow to cook off - should be about 2 minutes.
add your can of crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
gradually whisk in the flour or cornstarch making sure there are no lumps.
add red pepper flakes, nutmeg, + parmigiano reggiano making sure to incorporate well - you don’t want a hunk of cheese finding its way to the bottom and getting burned.
finally, add your cream then allow to simmer for 10 minutes or so on medium low heat with the pot partially covered.
using either an immersion blender or transferring the sauce to a blender you’re going to puree everything to a super smooth consistency.
add last 3 oz vodka and cover sauce over lowest heat for 15-20.
remove sausage from casing and pinch into small bite sized pieces and sear in a cast iron skillet making sure they get cooked through and have good crusty color.
allow to drain on paper towel and reserve.
boil pasta in well salted water and reserve a ladle of pasta water to add to sauce for plating.
add sausage nugs to vodka sauce.
add pasta and pasta water to sauce.
mix well, plate and finish with basil and more freshly grated parmigiano reggiano.