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–+ servings
Delicious pasta with creamy sauce and herbs on rustic plates, perfect for a cozy dinner setting.

Pasta Alla Vodka w/ Ricotta

This recipe includes crispy bacon, a rich creamy sauce, and a hint of spice from Calabrian chili or red pepper flakes. The addition of sun dried tomato paste brings depth to the sauce, while the finishing touches of ricotta, parmesan, and pecorino create an irresistibly creamy pasta dish. This dish is perfect for a cozy night at home or a dinner party when you want to impress without spending hours in the kitchen
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: pasta, vodka
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 665kcal
Author: Lola Jay

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon 6 ounces, coarsely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 4 large garlic cloves crushed but left whole
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoon sundried tomato paste optional, but adds depth
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste or 6 tablespoon if not using sundried tomato paste
  • ½ cup vodka
  • 1 pound fusilli
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup pecorino grated
  • ⅓ cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 cup ricotta
  • Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or basil for serving.
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Sauté the bacon: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thick-cut bacon and cook until crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside. Leave 3 tablespoon of the oil in the pan. See note in note section.
    Sizzling bacon in a frying pan, releasing flavor and aroma in a sunny kitchen. Perfect for breakfast or recipes.
  • Cook the pasta: While the sauce simmers, cook your pasta according to the package instructions 2 minutes short of al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water before draining.
    Person stirring fusilli pasta with creamy tomato sauce in a skillet.
  • Bloom the spices: Turn the head to medium and add in the red pepper flakes (or Calabrian chili) to the pan. See note in notes section. Add the oregano and sauté for 1 minute.
    Adding organic oregano to sizzling oil in a skillet for delicious seasoning. Cooking spices and herbs in a pan.
  • Add the onion, and lightly crushed garlic cloves (you just want to hit the clove with a knife to release some of the flavor). Sauté until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
    Hand adding garlic cloves to a sizzling pan with oil and spices, creating a flavorful base for cooking.
  • Add the tomato paste: Stir in the sun dried tomato paste (if using) and regular tomato paste, cooking for about 2-3 minutes to deepen the flavors.
    Onions and red sauce sizzle in a pan, stirred with a wooden spoon, for a flavorful cooking scene.
  • Deglaze with vodka (see note in note section): Turn off the heat and pour in ½ cup vodka to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes until the vodka reduces.
    Woman adding liquid to tomato skillet sauce on a stove.
  • Add the cream: Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Fish out the whole garlic cloves.
    Simmering pot of rich tomato curry in a kitchen, highlighting delicious homemade cooking.
  • Blend (Optional): I have a picky eater so I blended my sauce and then returned it to the pan.
    Food processor blending orange mixture in kitchen setting.
  • Finish the sauce: Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce, adding some of the reserved pasta water to adjust the sauce’s consistency. Stir in the grated pecorino and parmesan until melted.
    Person stirring creamy rotini pasta with sauce in a pan.
  • Serve: Spoon the pasta into bowls and top with a dollop of ricotta, a sprinkle of parmesan, and freshly chopped parsley or basil.
    Creamy rotini pasta with rich tomato sauce, topped with fresh parsley and ricotta in a white bowl. Perfect comfort food.

Video

Notes

 
  • Does Alcohol really fully cook off? Well. not entirely! So if you have someone that is in recovery or needs to totally obstain from any alcohol than keep that in mind. Adam Ragusea has a great YouTube Video on this.
  • The teaspoon of Calabrian chili adds a small hint of spice. Add more or red pepper flakes if you like your sauce on the spicier side. 
  • Optional: If blending your sauce, add the bacon back in for more umami flavor.
These nutrition values are only estimates. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 665kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 544mg | Potassium: 350mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1249IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 374mg | Iron: 2mg