Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1/4 cup good olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup vodka
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne pasta [the website says 3/4 pound, but it's crazy not to use the whole box]
4 tablespoons fresh oregano
3/4 cup to 1 cup heavy cream
Grated Parmesan cheese
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan (I used my Le Crueset Dutch Oven) over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent.
3. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.
4. Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands.
5. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside. [I timed it so I could just lift the pasta directly into the sauce, but whatever works best for you.]
7. Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency.
Return to the pan.
8. Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency.
9. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more.
10. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate. |
This recipe for Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola is from