Gnocchi Alla Vodka Food

CAVATELLI ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and butter and cook until foaming. Add the onions, season with a little salt and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add the crushed red pepper, garlic and some salt and pepper. Cook for 15 more seconds. Add the vodka and deglaze the pan. Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer until the alcohol smell subsides, then add the cream. Let it cook down until it is slightly reduced and flavorful, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta to al dente, 4 to 5 minutes for fresh, or according to the package instructions.
• Toss the sauce with the hot pasta and garnish with fresh basil and grated Parm. Serve with a crusty hunk of Italian bread.
• Combine the 00 and semolina flours with the salt on a clean working surface, form into a mound and make a well in the center. Combine the water, olive oil and salt and add the mixture a little at a time (see Cook's Note). Using a fork, start to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until a shaggy mass forms. Knead vigorously until the dough is smooth, elastic and bounces back when pressed, about 10 minutes.
• Cut the dough in half and work with one piece at a time (cover the other piece with a clean, damp kitchen towel). Using a bench scraper or knife, cut a walnut-sized piece of dough and roll it into a thin rope about 1/3 inch in diameter. Using the 4 fingers of your hand (no thumb), roll the rope of dough back and forth until it is a long, slender, tube-like shape (but not enclosed like a tube). Halve the pieces of pasta lengthwise. Set aside on a clean town sprinkled with semolina flour. Repeat with the remaining dough. Rest the pasta for 30 minutes.
• To cook, generously salt a large pot of boiling water. Add the cavatelli and cook until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and use with your sauce recipe of choice.

GNOCCHI WITH VODKA CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the gnocchi: place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with water. Add salt and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the potatoes until they are tender, about 35 minutes. Drain the potatoes. When they are just cool enough to handle, peel them then pass them through a food mill.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour with the egg yolk, cheese and warm potatoes. Work the mixture until it becomes a smooth dough, then incorporate the herbs. Form the dough into 2 balls.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll each ball of dough into a 'rope' about 1/2-inch thick. Cut the 'ropes' into 3/4-inch pieces. Arrange the gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet. (You can freeze the gnocchi at this point and use straight from freezer.)
• Shortly before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so the water maintains an active simmer. Working in small batches, drop gnocchi into the water. Cook the gnocchi until they float 3 to 4 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain fully in a colander.
• To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften. Add the vodka, cream, and tomato sauce, and simmer until the flavors blend, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Immediately before serving, add the gnocchi to the sauce and heat, stirring gently to coat. Spoon the gnocchi into warm bowls and serve.
• Puree whole tomatoes without their liquid in a food mill. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the pureed tomatoes. Add the basil, season with salt and pepper and simmer, stirring frequently until the sauce is concentrated, about 25 minutes. Remove the basil and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

GNOCCHI ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Stab potatoes several times to create holes for steam to escape.
• Bake in the preheated oven until soft, about 30 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temperature.
• When cooled, scoop out potato flesh from skin and transfer to a mixing bowl. Discard skins. Mash flesh thoroughly, removing as many firm lumps as possible. Add flour, Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, and egg. Knead mixture until dough is smooth. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Divide dough into several baseball-sized balls. Roll each ball on a generously floured work surface into a rope about as thick as a nickel. Cut the ropes into 1-inch sections. Roll the tines of a fork gently over the top of each piece to give an authentic gnocchi appearance (or a decent facsimile); this creates divots for soaking up the sauce.
• Prepare sauce: melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pancetta from pan and set aside. Add shallot to the pan drippings and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and cook until fragrant, 30 to 40 seconds.
• Pour vodka into the pan to deglaze; use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Let liquid reduce by half. Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and tomato paste. Cook sauce for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.
• Return pot to medium heat. Add 1/4 cup basil and pancetta. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add cream and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook gnocchi in the boiling water until they float to the top, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and plate gnocchi. Ladle sauce on top and garnish with more basil. Serve immediately.

GNOCCHI ALLA VODKA WITH GROUND BEEF

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to boil. Add gnocchi and cook until floating, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat; add shallot and garlic. Gently cook until shallot has softened and garlic is fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Turn heat up to medium and add the ground sirloin, salt, and red pepper flakes. Add in tomato paste. Allow tomato paste to caramelize. Pour in vodka and deglaze the pan by bringing sauce to a boil while scraping the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Pour cream into the pan and stir until the paste has completely incorporated. Allow to gently simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and stir until it melts.
• Add drained gnocchi to the pan along with reserved 1/2 cup water. Serve topped with basil leaves.

GNOCCHI AND SPICY VODKA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in deep skillet and add diced onion until transparent (about 5 minutes).
• Add garlic until slightly colored (1-2 minutes).
• Add drained can of diced tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and bullion.
• Heavily simmer over medium to medium low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In the mean time set a salted pot of water to boil and cook Gnocchi.
• After gnocchi has cooked, add to sauce and toss for 2-3 minutes and add oregano and basil, stirring until well mixed.
• Add heavy whipping cream and simmer for 5-7 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Set aside to cool and serve when warm.