Fusilli alla Vodka

 

How we make it.

1 pound fusilli pasta, cooked in boiling salted water per package instructions
2 tablespoons butter

4 shallots, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1-pint cherry tomatoes, sliced
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 cup vodka (I like Tito's)
1/4 cup cream
1 teaspoon turbinado sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

In a large pot melt butter and sauté shallots on medium heat until softened. Add garlic and cook for 2-4 minutes more. Throw in chopped tomatoes and salt. Smoosh 'em around a bit and let them cook down for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat (so you don't set yourself on fire) and add vodka, then turn the heat back onto medium high and cook off alcohol, stirring occasionally for 5 more minutes. At this point things get a little wild because it's time to puree. The simplest way to do this is with an immersion blender. If you don't have one of those you can take your life into your hands and pour the hot, chunky sauce into a Vitamix or food processor. Godspeed with that. Once sauce is blended smoothly and back in the pot, stir in cream, sugar, pepper, parmesan and basil. Lower heat to a simmer and let simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes or so. In the meantime, cook pasta per package instructions in 12 cups of boiling water seasoned with 3 tablespoons of kosher salt. Once nearly done (a minute or so shy of package instructions) remove from pot and add to vodka sauce, stirring to combine. Garnish with parmesan and basil and serve warm or room temperature. 

Why we make it.

I don't love a ragu. Also not wild about a bolognese . . . or a marinara. Sry. I'll still make these someday on here because my family's into them, and we can forget I said that. But if I'm going to make a tomato sauce, I pretty much want it like pizza margarita-style simple. Garlic, olive oil, a cheese or a cream, basil, some salt. This sauce is all those things plus the zing of vodka. And I don't really know what that does actually, but I love the idea. Maybe the idea is the point. Some things are like that. This fresh vodka sauce is light, bright and floral, thickened throughout by little remnants of tomato skin. Fusilli catches the creamy, salty, sour sauce in its bouncy corkscrew and is a blast to eat. That's why we make it.