| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 3 hr 25 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Inactive: | 30 min |
| Cook: | 2 hr 45 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 pounds plum tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons EVOO, plus more for drizzling
- About 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese
- Generous handful fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1 pound penne rigate or other short-cut pasta
- 1 cup diced fresh mozzarella
- 1 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and arrange them cut-side up on wire racks set over rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with the thyme, salt and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes are slumped but still moist in the center, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let cool.
- Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until very soft but not caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vodka and cook until reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and roasted tomatoes and heat through. Stir in the mascarpone, then puree into a fairly smooth, creamy sauce using an immersion blender, food processor or blender. Return the sauce to the pot, add the basil and stir until wilted.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta, and season with salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce and transfer to a glass or ceramic baking dish. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan. If you are making the pasta ahead of time, cool it and then cover with parchment and foil. Store in the refrigerator.
- When you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake the casserole, covered, until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until brown and bubbly on top, 15 to 20 more minutes.
- Cook’s Note: Serve with a salad of escarole or romaine dressed with lemon juice, EVOO, salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 753 |
| Total Fat | 30 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 72 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Protein | 28 g |
| Cholesterol | 74 mg |
| Sodium | 1095 mg |
Reviews
Delicious. I agree with the other reviewers that it came out a bit dry. I think next time I will only bake it for 15 minutes, uncovered – just enough to melt the cheese on top. You could definitely serve this without baking it at all (you just need to boil the noddles longer). The sauce is the star here.
Delicious… how could it not be with those wonderful ingredients???
Easiest sauce ever. Added salmon and used risotto. So, so delish!
This came out great and so easy
My husband and I really enjoyed this. The prep time takes longer than listed…at least for me! 🙂 I nervously used cheap cheap vodka and it turned out fine…I wasn’t sure what quality to use for cooking. We are putting chicken into the leftovers…would’ve been better baked in.
Good recipe…..I added some baked chicken cubes to the pasta mixture prior to applying a layer of cheese.
Rach really hit it out of the park with this one. I’m not a big fan of vodka but so many raved over it. So I gave it a try. I did substitute 4-14.5oz cans of tomatoes instead of fresh. It was too much. Three would have sufficed. It was so easy and delicious. My mom loved it and she hates food cooked with liquor. It’s a great departure from the same old spaghetti or lasagna.
This was good- but I prefer my recipe better! With that being said, this had some great highlights- the roasted tomatoes were delicious!! I also like the mascarpone cheese instead of the heavy cream. If I make again, I may only use 1/2 of the pasta needed- there didn’t seem to be enough sauce.
I just made this the other day (did the one day ahead and kept it in the fridge. It was sooooo tasty. I think the roasted tomatoes definitely made a difference. It was so smooth and creamy. Just delicious! Oh, and I did peel the tomatoes after roasting.
This was absolutely fantastic! I made this dish for my boyfriend, his mom, and his friends for game day dinner. The house filled with a wonderful smell when I roasted the tomatoes. I did peel the skin from the tomatoes after they roasted because I hate bits of it in my sauce. But that’s an unnecessary step for those who don’t mind. This was extremely easy to make and great for a busy weeknight if you make it the night before and just pop it in the oven when you’re ready to eat! Well done Rachel Ray!