Shelly's Recipe

PENNE WITH VODKA AND TOMATO-CREAM SAUCE

Category: Pasta

About 4 slices of pancetta or smoked bacon, diced and cooked until crisp. Drain on a paper towel.
1 lb dried Italian tubular pasta,-such as penne, cooked to desired doneness and drained but not rinsed. (Leave the starch intact. It helps to hold the sauce.)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced.
1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup diced celery
3-5 cloves garlic, sliced (Sliced garlic that is not razor thin will hold up better in cooking. Finely diced is easily burned and may turn bitter)
1 tbsp flour
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp crushed red peppers-(hot red pepper flakes), or to taste
2 cups tomato sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp Vodka
1 cup half and half
2 tbsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves
Dash cayenne pepper
3-4 tbsp fresh Italian, flat-leaf parsley, diced
1/4 cup parmigiano-reggianno, grated.

In a sauce pan, prepare the tomato sauce.

Over medium low heat, warm 1-2 tbsp olive oil in skillet.

Add the onions, bell pepper and celery saute for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for about 2 more minutes. Add flour. Mix in well until flour soaks up juices. Add balsamic vinegar. Reduce liquid by about half. Add bacon or pancetta and red pepper flakes. Add the tomato sauce and chicken stock, rosemary, cayenne and vodka. Reduce liquid by about half. Add the cooked and drained pasta and combine it with the penne with vodka sauce. (Note: Time the pasta so it goes directly from the drainer into the sauce.)

Add the half and half, stir it in quickly, then remove the pan from the heat. Garnish with Parsley and parmigiano-reggiano.

Serve with a cabernet sauvignon or a light red zinfandel.