Why bother with adding flavorless vodka to a creamy pink sauce that is something between a tomato sauce and an Alfredo sauce? Is the vodka even necessary? It really is.
Alcohol is a highly effective solvent for aromatics. Think of vanilla extract. It also acts as an emulsifier and aids in the bonding of fat and water into a creamy consistency. Think of Dijon mustard used in vinaigrette. Lastly, it is volatile and evaporates quickly. As the particulates of the vodka are released into the air, they carry the fragrance of the sauce with them. That same process carries the flavors and aromas of the sauce to the back of your mouth when you eat it, heightening your experience of the dish.
Both Manhattan and Italy (putting my money on Italy) lay claim to the origins of the dish, which indisputably came to be in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
This version from Osteria Lupo packs a punch. A half cup of minced garlic ensures its work as “nature’s chaperone” while the Calabrian chili paste lends some heat.
Rigatoni alla Vodka
Shared by Chef Brian Burns, Osteria Lupo
Serves 6
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups minced French shallots
1/2 cup minced garlic (see notes)
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup Calabrian chili paste (see notes)
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Kosher salt to taste
1 pound fresh pasta, preferably rigatoni or penne
10 leaves fresh basil, torn
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Do not cop out and use chopped garlic from a jar. Due to the large volume of garlic, the dish will really suffer. Here’s a hassle-free way to peel garlic. Use the palm of your hand to push down hard on the garlic bulb to separate the cloves. Place the unpeeled cloves in a large glass jar with a lid. The jar should be significantly larger than the volume of garlic. Shake the jar vigorously for 20 to 30 seconds. The skins should have slipped off. If not, shake some more.
Calabrian chili paste is available locally at Trader Joe’s or on Amazon.com
- Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Stir frequently until the shallots and garlic soften and become translucent, 6-7 minutes. Take extreme care not to brown the garlic.
- Reduce the heat under the shallot and garlic to low and add the tomato paste, Calabrian chili paste, and chili flakes. Stir frequently to combine and prevent sticking. Cook until blended and smooth, about 10 minutes
- Add the vodka and increase heat to medium, allow the alcohol to cook out, about two minutes.
- Add the heavy cream, bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to low. Add the lemon juice, then adjust seasoning with salt. Based on personal taste, you may wish to add a bit more cream to adjust the spiciness of the sauce. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting.
- Cook the pasta just shy of al dente. Reserve a 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. Strain the pasta. Add it to the sauce to finish cooking. Add some of the reserved water if necessary.
- Serve the Rigatoni alla Vodka in bowls. Garnish with fresh torn basil and grated parmesan.
