Penne alla Vodka is a simple yet showstopping pasta dish. The creamy tomato vodka sauce comes together in less than 30 minutes and is bursting with flavor, resulting in a restaurant-quality dish easy enough to make on busy weeknights!
Add the garlic and shallots and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes.
Add the prosciutto and red pepper flakes and cook another minute.
Add tomatoes, vodka, salt and pepper and cook on low, covered about 20 minutes.
Add basil and half and half, mix well and cook another 5 minutes.
Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain and add the pasta, stirring 1 minutes in medium-low heat.
Serve with grated cheese.
Notes
Variations and Tips:
Don't boil the sauce. This is especially important after you add the half and half - if it boils, it might curdle.
Is the sauce alcoholic? There is half a cup of vodka in the sauce but it's there for flavor, not to make the dish boozy. The alcohol will cook off while the sauce simmers!
Make it spicy. If you want a bit of heat to your sauce, add some extra red pepper flakes.
Add some meat. Stir in some cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken breast or salmon near the end of the recipe for some added protein.
Make it creamier. Swap the half and half for heavy cream or add more half and half.