I had saved this recipe from a Rachael Ray magazine years ago and finally got the opportunity to make it! This is a unique way to make pasta in the risotto method, and the sauce thickens in a way that I was blown away that there was no cream in the sauce. This is great as a vegetarian meal or heated up as lunch leftovers.
Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 box penne pasta
1 small white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup vodka
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups tomato puree
1/2 cup basil leaves, cut into strips
1 cup freshly grated Sartori Parmesan
Preparation:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil, then reduce to keep it warm.
2. In a large, deep skillet heat the oil and butter. Once the butter is melted, add the dry pasta. Fry the pasta in the butter/oil mixture for about 2-4 minutes until it is starting to turn golden brown.
3. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and saute until onions start to soften.
4. Season pan with salt and pepper. Add crushed red pepper and bay leaf and stir to combine.
5. Add the vodka to the pan and stir until vodka is mostly absorbed, 1-2 minutes.
6. Add 1/3 of the stock, 1/3 of the tomato puree, and the cherry tomatoes. Stir frequently until mostly liquid is mostly reduced, about 5 minutes.
7. Add 1/3 of the stock and 1/3 of the tomato puree. Continue to stir often as liquid cooks down, about another 5 minutes.
8. When mostly absorbed, add the remaining stock and tomato puree. Stir in basil.
9. When liquid is almost totally absorbed, stir in cheese. Serve warm.
Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 box penne pasta
1 small white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup vodka
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups tomato puree
1/2 cup basil leaves, cut into strips
1 cup freshly grated Sartori Parmesan
Preparation:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil, then reduce to keep it warm.
2. In a large, deep skillet heat the oil and butter. Once the butter is melted, add the dry pasta. Fry the pasta in the butter/oil mixture for about 2-4 minutes until it is starting to turn golden brown.
3. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and saute until onions start to soften.
4. Season pan with salt and pepper. Add crushed red pepper and bay leaf and stir to combine.
5. Add the vodka to the pan and stir until vodka is mostly absorbed, 1-2 minutes.
6. Add 1/3 of the stock, 1/3 of the tomato puree, and the cherry tomatoes. Stir frequently until mostly liquid is mostly reduced, about 5 minutes.
7. Add 1/3 of the stock and 1/3 of the tomato puree. Continue to stir often as liquid cooks down, about another 5 minutes.
8. When mostly absorbed, add the remaining stock and tomato puree. Stir in basil.
9. When liquid is almost totally absorbed, stir in cheese. Serve warm.