Looking for a recipe for Penne a la vodka

[W1GUH]

Or, for that matter a nice tomato cream sauce. I've got one recipe that's good, but not excellent; doesn't have that really creamy and sweet taste I'm looking for.

Or should I do the garlic like Paulie (I think) in Goodfellas -- slice it thin with a Gem blade?

[NQ6U]

Take it straight from a Guinea: garlic is best crushed either with the side of a knife blade or with a press. That's how you get the real goodness out of it. That thin-slice thing is strictly Hollywood.

[W1GUH]

Take it straight from a Guinea: garlic is best crushed either with the side of a knife blade or with a press. That's how you get the real goodness out of it. That thin-slice thing is strictly Hollywood.

Glad to hear that. I use a press - a lot easier than paper thin slices! Thanks!

[KG4CGC]

I like to dice it but that's just because I have mad knife skillz! Boshizzle yo?
How much time do you have to prep? Are you going to stew the tomatoes from fresh?
I don't know what constitutes a large stock pot at your house but let's try this:
Let's say you pot is 4 or 5 quarts.
Make the normal tomato sauce recipe of you choice but first, chop, crush, squish all your garlic. Pour between 100ml to 150ml of vodka into a cup. Add your prepared garlic to it and leave it there until the last 10 minutes of heated cook time. OK, 10 minutes before turning off the heat (or before you set it to just barely heat, lowest setting simmer) add you garlic and vodka.
Continue as usual.

[W3MIV]

Don't bother with tomatoes or any of that other stuff. With enough vodka, you can just eat the penne like pretzels. Cooking them takes so long...

[W1GUH]

I like to dice it but that's just because I have mad knife skillz! Boshizzle yo?
How much time do you have to prep? Are you going to stew the tomatoes from fresh?
I don't know what constitutes a large stock pot at your house but let's try this:
Let's say you pot is 4 or 5 quarts.
Make the normal tomato sauce recipe of you choice but first, chop, crush, squish all your garlic. Pour between 100ml to 150ml of vodka into a cup. Add your prepared garlic to it and leave it there until the last 10 minutes of heated cook time. OK, 10 minutes before turning off the heat (or before you set it to just barely heat, lowest setting simmer) add you garlic and vodka.
Continue as usual.

Aha!!! I think you nailed it -- the part about marinating the garlic in the vodka. I've been cooking the garlic in oil before adding the tomatoes, and I think I've been over-cooking it. The next time I make it I'll use your method. Thank you very, very much!!!

Albi -- your solution is the best possible, although I'd probably substitute JD for the vodka!

[w3bny]

Don't bother with tomatoes or any of that other stuff. With enough vodka, you can just eat the penne like pretzels. Cooking them takes so long...

Bingo... Just go for the Wodka and have the XYL toss out a box of penne like hubbie kibble. <krunch-krunch-krack-krunch>

I can tell you that uncooked cup-o-noodle or a oodles of noodles block is pretty intertaining when yer fubar!


Its 4'oclock in the morning!!! What the hell are you still doing on the couch and WTF is this all over the floor...is that dried noodles?!?!

[KC8TCQ]

1/4 lb. diced pancetta (Italian bacon), do not substitute
1/4 c. butter
1/3 c. vodka
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb. penne pasta
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 c. tomato sauce

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. When the butter foams, add the diced pancetta. When the pancetta browns slightly (takes 2 to 3 minutes), add the vodka and stir.
After the alcohol burns off, stir in the tomato sauce and cream (the alcohol only takes a minute or two to burn off). Stir continuously for 5 - 8 minutes. Place drained pasta into frying pan, add Parmesan cheese, and mix thoroughly for about 2 minutes.

[KC8TCQ]

1 lb. Penne pasta
1/2 stick butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 to 7 scallions, chopped
2 cans tomato sauce (15 oz. total)
1/3 c. vodka
1/4 c. heavy cream
Basil, oregano and pepper to taste

Saute chopped garlic and scallions over low flame with butter. Add tomato sauce, vodka and spices. Let come to boil and simmer 45 minutes. Add heavy cream; cook 10 minutes. Put water up for pasta.

[W1GUH]

For reference, this is the recipe I've been using (http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/penne-a-la-vodka-ii/Detail.aspx).

I like the fresh basil & the for the next attempt I'm not going to cook the garlic, instead I'll do the "marinate it in the vodka" method.

[KC8TCQ]

For reference, this is the recipe I've been using (http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/penne-a-la-vodka-ii/Detail.aspx).

I like the fresh basil & the for the next attempt I'm not going to cook the garlic, instead I'll do the "marinate it in the vodka" method.

The problem with cooking garlic is that unless you are carefull you can burn it which makes it taste bitter. I also like the idea of marinating it in vodka, it allows the flavors to develop. I prefer to crush the garlic with the side of a knife before dicing, it helps release the oils better than just slicing it. Another thing you can try is after crushing it with the knife, put a pinch of sea salt on the garlig and draw the side of the knife over it, this turns the garlic into a paste.

[KG4CGC]

Aha!!! I think you nailed it -- the part about marinating the garlic in the vodka. I've been cooking the garlic in oil before adding the tomatoes, and I think I've been over-cooking it. The next time I make it I'll use your method. Thank you very, very much!!!

Albi -- your solution is the best possible, although I'd probably substitute JD for the vodka!
You are welcome.
It is easy to overcook garlic. Before Alton Brown's show, Good Eats went hokey, it was a nice to watch and learn. Garlic in any recipe should only be added in the last 10 minutes even if you give a nice saute' in some olive oil, which is nice. Garlic, for all its powerful odoriferous ferocity, is sensitive. Freezing fresh will preserve them some but the equivalent of freezer burn (I guess) will do similar damage as cooking. If you have fresh cloves I believe it would be better to store them in a jar full of olive oil kept in the refrigerator.
As a general rule though, I follow the last 10 minutes rule when adding garlic.