my grandmother was famous for her alla vodka
but not exactly like this
for one thing--she was a traditionalist
and used penne
she also didn't make her own tomato infused vodka
because
she was a widow
raising 5 kids
with limited amount of time on her hands
not all sorts
like i do
like i do
our garden produced so many late harvest tomatoes
that
that
i found myself using them in a variety of ways
sundried, oven roasted, confit
and soaked in vodka
this is really simple. peel tomatoes and cram into a jar, use a skewer to secure tomatoes if they start to float to the top. fill the jar with vodka and store in the refrigerator for at least 5 days. i make several jars because i like to use the tomatoes and the vodka for my sauce. leftover vodka is really great for a bloody mary pick me up.
1 lb spaghetti or pasta of choice
olive oil
1/2 of small onion--finely diced
2 garlic cloves--finely diced
6-8 basil leaves--chiffonade
1 large tin peeled whole tomatoes or combination of vodka soaked tomatoes and tinned tomatoes to equal about 4 cups whole
1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup tomato soaked vodka (or other vodka you have on hand)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving
cook pasta in salted water, according to package instructions. cook onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat. meanwhile, place the tomatoes in a food processor or blender and pulse until it is smooth. do not allow the onions and garlic to brown, but let them begin to soften and become translucent. at this point, add the tomatoes and vodka and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes. add the basil, red pepper flakes and heavy cream and allow to heat through. stir in parmesan, then toss drained pasta in. if the sauce seems too thick, use a bit of the pasta water. shave a bit of parmesan on top of each individual serving, along with additional crushed red pepper, if you like spicy.
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