| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound cooked ham (better to use Italian cooked ham)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 large white onions, finely chopped
- 1.3 quarts (700 ml) tomato sauce (or blended canned peeled Italian tomatoes)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
- 1 quart heavy cream reduced by half (1/2 quart)
- 3/4 cup vodka
- Salt and pepper
- 2 pounds penne liscie # 40 (recommended: De Cecco)
Instructions
- Finely dice the cooked ham and set it aside.
- Place a heavy bottom sautoir or pan on medium-high flame. Add the olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts and becomes foamy add the chopped onions, let it saute until crispy, and do not let it brown.
- Add the diced ham, mix it in, lower the flame and let it sweat for about 15 minutes, stir it occasionally.
- Add the tomato sauce, mix it in, let it simmer for another 20 minutes, then add the parsley, simmer for 3 minutes, add the reduced heavy cream and the vodka, mix it all well and let simmer for 20 minutes
- Check the consistency, simmer for other 10 minutes if you need to, season and mix in the cooked penne, let it simmer for 2 minutes and serve it HOT!!!
- Procedure to cook the pasta: In a pasta-cooker or a soup pot, add 6 quarts of salted water and place it over medium-high flame. Bring the water to a boil, add the penne at once, lower the flame to medium, partially cover the pot, and let it cook for about 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, drain it and dress the pasta with your favorite sauce.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 1380 |
| Total Fat | 73 g |
| Saturated Fat | 41 g |
| Carbohydrates | 135 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Protein | 33 g |
| Cholesterol | 249 mg |
| Sodium | 1512 mg |
Reviews
1.25 qts would be 5 cups so I will just go with that or a little more. I don’t doubt this is a great tasting recipe but the richly excessive amount of fat in that much reduced cream could give Bigfoot a heart attack. Seriously there is as much heavy cream as there is tomato sauce. That’s a lot to deal with.
I found this recipe years ago and then lost it. Spent a day trying to located it again, that’s how good it is. You’ll have to do a bit of math, though, because the amount of tomato purée doesn’t make sense. Read the other reviews for advice, but for sure start the cream reducing in another pot before you start prepping everything else, and go with the 1.3 liters amount of tomato purée (about five cups, give or take).
This is so good that words cannot describe it.
God Bless everyone at the Food Network. A++++
This is the best Vodka Sauce Recipe EVER! I married into a large Italian Family four years ago and had never even heard of Vodka Sauce, coming from the West Coast. My husbands family came for a visit from Italy and said it was the best they had ever tasted! As far as measurements. It said 700ml, but this doesn’t add up. I go by the 1.3 quarts which is about 42 ounces. I use tomato sauce, not puree. It does make a difference. The first thing you should do is get your heavy cream reducing so it will be ready to add when the time comes. I made a double batch last night for Mother’s Day Dinner today as family can’t get enough! This recipe is a hidden treasure!
Is it 1.3 quarts or 700ml of sauce? The measurements are nowhere near equivalent. I’ve made this recipe so many times and it’s delicious but it’s a guessing game as to exactly how much sauce. I’d love to try the recipe as it was truly meant to be. I do love it though!
I made this pasta for my daughter’s graduation party and had tested it out a few times previously. It makes huge servings if you go by the recipe. I would say 2 pounds of pasta should feed 10-12 people. The vodka adds a tang to the sauce and the creamy texture is really wonderful. I used Prego spaghetti sauce for the tomato sauce. I have frozen and reheated the leftovers successfully also.
I worked in an Italian restaurant and their vodka sauce was the best I ever had. This is the closest I have ever come to theirs. It is very, very good and never disappoints my dinner guests. It is very rich, so when serving a dessert also, I would advise to go with something light.
Excellent Vodka Sauce!
Though time consuming, it is the best white sauce I have ever made or tasted!
I made a few changes. I used Italian chicken sausage and basil. I added a chopped shallot & fennel to the onion mixture. I also used 1 pint fat free half and half and 1 pint cream.
It was amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
I made a few changes. I used Italian chicken sausage and basil. I added a chopped shallot & fennel to the onion mixture. I also used 1 pint fat free half and half and 1 pint cream.
It was amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
Total Hit!!!! Peeeeerrrrfect Dish!
This recipe is awesome!! I’m upset tho, made it for a friend who in turn was going to make me dinner and so far has not. When I asked her why she said ” I can’t compete with the dinner you made” ;-