The name says it all! This is my favorite vodka pasta and maybe my favorite pasta, but I don’t want to commit to that ;). This is the pasta my husband always hopes I’m making when I say I’m making pasta. Add lots of red pepper flakes so it’s spicy and use a good amount of pasta water to help create a luscious sauce. Okay I need to make this right now!!

Ingredients 

• 1 pound of rigatoni (or any short pasta shape of choice)
• Two tablespoons of olive oil
• Two tablespoons of butter
• A couple of shallots, minced
• 3 or 4 garlic cloves, minced into a paste or grated 
• Lots of red pepper flakes
• 1 tube of tomato paste 
• 1/2 cup of vodka
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of heavy cream (see note) 
• 4 tablespoons of butter, cold from the fridge 
• Fresh basil
• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Freshly grated pecorino cheese
• Kosher salt 
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Directions  

1. Cook your pasta in salted water until al dente. Make sure you reserve a good amount of pasta cooking water before you drain. 
2. To start the sauce, heat the two tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of Olive oil in a large skillet and then add the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for a few minutes until the shallots are softened and the garlic is fragrant. I add a pinch or two of salt at this point. 
3. Add all the tomato paste and cook, stirring continuously, until the tomato paste is darker in color, about 4 minutes. You want to cook out the raw tomato taste so give it time. I also add another pinch of salt. 
4. Add the vodka and cook until the vodka disappears. Then stir in the cream. 
5. Add about a 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce and stir until it starts to come together. Season it again with a pinch of salt and black pepper and simmer for 2 minutes. I like to try the sauce at this point to see how it’s tasting. 
6. Add the pasta to the sauce, along with more pasta water, and toss to coat. You can start with a splash or two of pasta water and keep adding as needed. Add the four tablespoons of butter and cook everything together for a few minutes, until the noodles are done. 
7. Off the heat stir in the basil, parmesan, and pecorino. Taste and adjust seasonings. 

Notes

• HEAVY CREAM: I usually use around 1/4 cup of heavy cream. We prefer how it tastes when I use less cream and add the butter at the end. If you prefer the taste of more heavy cream then you may want to add less butter at the end so it isn’t too rich.