1Fill a large pot with water, place over high heat and bring to a boil.
2Add a small handful salt to water and add pasta.
3Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes.
4Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and set both aside.
5Place a large skillet over medium heat.
6Once skillet is hot add oil and sauté shallots and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, or until aromatics begin to slightly caramelize.
7Add tomato paste and stir together.
8Continue to stir until paste turns bright red, 2 to 3 minutes.
9Deglaze skillet with vodka and stir together until vodka evaporates.
10Add reserved pasta water to skillet and stir together until smooth, about 1 minute.
11Season with salt and pepper.
12Stir cream into sauce until mixture is smooth.
13Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer together, about 3 to 4 minutes.
14Stir in butter and Parmesan and continue to simmer until sauce is smooth, glossy and has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes.
15Add cooked pasta to sauce and toss together until fully coated.
16Season with salt and pepper.
17Serve with more grated Parmesan and black pepper.
Ingredients
5.33 oz dry rotini (or pasta shape of choice)
1.33 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
0.67 large shallot minced
1.33 garlic cloves minced
0.44 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp vodka
0.67 cup heavy cream
1.33 tbsp unsalted butter
0.33 cup freshly grated Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
large potknifecutting boardlarge skilletcolanderwooden spoonliquid measuring cup
Tips
The pasta can be cooked and stored in an airtight container up to 3 days ahead of time. The sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead of time and also stored in an airtight container (separate from the sauce) until ready to use.
When ready to serve, pour sauce into a large saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir pasta into sauce and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes until pasta has heated through. Serve.
The pasta can be made, stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in refrigerator and stir into heated sauce until completely heated through.
To freeze sauce ahead of time, make sauce until it's time to add cream. Cool completely, then store partially made sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw sauce in refrigerator. Heat sauce in a saucepan until heated through, then stir in cream and simmer. Adjust seasonings before adding pasta and tossing together. Simmer until heated through and serve.
Get veggies into the sauce! Some of our favorites are spinach, kale, broccoli, and asparagus.
Add protein! Precooked shredded or chopped chicken is one of our favorite things to add to the sauce. Garbanzo or white beans can also be added for a vegetarian friendly protein.
Add herbs! I love adding some torn basil or thinly sliced chives to the sauce to change things up.
Add heat by stirring some crushed red pepper flakes into the dish.
Make a vodka free option! Water with a squeeze of lemon juice can replace the vodka. It won't give you quite the same peppery flavor, but it will help to bring out the acidity in the tomato paste.
Use a shaped pasta like rotini, penne, bow tie, cavatappi, gemelli, campanelle, or radiatori.
For strand pasta, fusilli col buco, bucatini, mafalda, tagliatelle, capellini, or linguine are good options.
Add extra pasta water when serving if the sauce is too thick (when reheating).