Pasta is the ultimate indulgence food for me and I happened to be in charge of hosting my Bunco group this month. My theme was Guilty Pleasures and nothing says guilty pleasures to me like a big bowl of creamy pasta, decadent dessert treats, and stretchy yoga pants. My girlfriends didn’t seem to mind indulging in my theme this year and I had a blast planning this evening.
This Penne with Spicy Vodka Cream Sauce was an amazingly easy and delicious dish that would be perfect for entertaining or just a midweek luxury meal for a cheap date night at home. Almost as easy as just opening a jar of sauce and a fraction of the jarred vodka sauces on the shelves, it is a recipe that is a surefire winner. It is creamy, hits you with a little hint of heat from a little red pepper flake, and a sauce that really does a great job hugging the noodles perfectly.
In a large pot, heat a little olive oil and then brown half a pound of Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage. If you purchase the sausage in the links, you will just want to pull the meat out of the sausage casings and then use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart. If you like your dish spicier, feel free to substitute with the hot sausage variety. We like it mild in our house!
To your browned sausage, add four cloves of minced garlic and a 1/4 teaspoon of red hot pepper flake to your sausage and let it cook for one minute. I love to add a little red hot pepper flake into almost all of my sauces. You can find it at the dollar store or very inexpensively at the supermarket over in the spice aisle. If you like a lot of heat, increase this to 1/2 teaspoon to give the sauce more of a kick.
Add a can of crushed tomatoes to the pot and stir to incorporate. Season to taste. Bring your sauce to a boil and then turn the heat down to a low simmer and let it cook for fifteen minutes.
To your sauce add 3/4 of a cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup vodka to the sauce. I bought the least expensive vodka that they had at the supermarket and it worked perfectly. Mix these two ingredients into your sauce and bring it to a boil.
Turn off the heat and add a handful of freshly chopped parsley to the sauce. Toss this sauce with your favorite pasta noodle. Simple and delicious!
Serve with an elegant Strawberry Salad and a platter of Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Brownies, for a guilty pleasures night of your own!
Enjoy!
Penne With Spicy Vodka Cream Sauce
1 pound uncooked penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vodka
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. In large skillet, heat oil over moderate heat. Remove casing from sausage and add to skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat, until brown. Add garlic and red pepper and cook, stirring until garlic is golden brown (approximately one minute). Add tomatoes and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add vodka and cream and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and add pasta, toss for 1 minute. Stir in fresh parsley and serve!
Side Note: When reheating this dish, rewarm in a skillet and add a little milk to the sauce to restore the creamy consistency of it.
Recipe Source: Adapted from AllRecipes.com