Penne Ala Vodka

This pasta dish features a creamy tomato sauce, sweet italian sausage, and a kick of chili flakes. Home cooks enjoy customizing the dish with bacon, pancetta, or mushrooms.

Ingredients

• 1 pound uncooked penne pasta
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 (3.5 ounce) links sweet Italian sausage
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons vodka
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Steps

1. Gather the Ingredients
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove casing from sausage and add to the skillet. Cook and stir until crumbly and brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until garlic is golden brown.
4. Add tomatoes and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add cream and vodka; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and add pasta; toss for 1 minute. Stir in parsley; serve warm.