Penna Alla Rocca Food

PENNE ALLA VODKA (BEST VODKA SAUCE!)

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil to cook pasta. Season water with salt.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and prosciutto saute 4 - 5 minutes, add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute 1 minute longer.
• Remove pan from heat and add tomatoes, vodka, season with salt and pepper to taste. Return to medium-high heat, bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until strong alcohol scent has cooked off, about 15 minutes**, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain pasta.
• Stir cream into sauce and let just heat through, about 1 minute. Stir in parmesan, basil and oregano.
• Add drained pasta to pot with sauce, toss to coat, while thinning sauce with a little pasta water as needed. Serve warm with more parmesan and garnish with more basil if desired.

PENNE ALLA PUTTANESCA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta and the sauce: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water, stir, and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes less than what the box advises. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by heating oil in a skillet over low heat. Rinse the anchovies and the capers under cold water to remove the salt, then soak in a small bowl of water for several minutes. Remove the pits from the olives by quickly smashing them with the side of a knife, then fillet the anchovies by removing the backbone (the longer they're soaked, the easier this will be). Add the anchovies, capers, garlic, olives, and parsley to the skillet, and cook until the anchovies are broken up and the garlic is lightly browned. Using a fork or your hands, break up the tomatoes in a mixing bowl and add to the skillet. Simmer sauce for 1-2 minutes, then check for seasoning (sauce will be naturally salty) and adjust with pepper.
• Assemble the dish: Perform the pasta "marriage ceremony" by reserving 1 cup of the pasta water and draining the rest. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the pasta water and puttanesca sauce into the pot. Cook over low heat, gently tossing the pasta with the sauce for 2 minutes to allow it to marry with the sauce. The pasta should still be firm to the bite. Transfer to a platter or bowl, garnish with more chopped parsley, and serve.

PENNE ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to package directions.
• Saute the garlic and onions in 2 tablespoons butter and the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until soft. Pour in the vodka, being careful if your stove has an open flame (remove the pan from the heat before adding). Cook and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour in the tomato puree. Stir the mixture until it's thoroughly combined, then reduce the heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream. Stir to combine, then turn heat to the lowest simmer possible. Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and add salt and pepper to taste. Finally, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Pour the drained pasta into the sauce and toss to combine. Sprinkle on the Parmesan, then sprinkle on more red pepper flakes if desired.

PASTA ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain.
• While the pasta is cooking, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil, the garlic, shallots or onions and crushed red pepper in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until everything starts to sizzle and begins to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Stirring constantly, carefully pour in the tomato sauce (it will sizzle) until well combined with the other ingredients. Remove from the heat and add the vodka, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Return to the heat and bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and continue to cook for 1 minute.
• Add the pasta to the skillet and stir to coat well. Let the pasta cook briefly in the sauce until it thickens a little more and clings nicely to the pasta. Stir in the Parmesan, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley if using. Serve, passing more Parmesan at the table.

PENNE ALLA PANNA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a skillet.
• On a high heat, quickly fry the ham or prosciutto until starting to brown, keep stirring it continuously to stop it from burning.
• Turn down to a low heat or if cooking on an electric hob turn it off, pour in 250 ml of cream.
• Add the cayenne pepper and stir in the parmesan.
• If the sauce seems really thick add some more cream, the pasta shouldn't be dry, but neither should it swim in sauce.
• Stir in the pasta and serve straight away.

PENNE ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• In a wide pot big enough to hold all the pasta and sauce, melt the butter.
• add the garlic and cook until golden brown.
• stir in the proscuitto and cook for a a minute or two.
• add the tomatoes, crushed pepper, pepper and salt.
• simmer for 5 minutes.
• stir in the cream and cook for 2 minutes stirring alot.
• add the vodka and cook until it no longer smells strongly of vodka (about 3-5 minutes).
• cook the pasta as directed on box but al dente.
• add the pasta to the pot with the sauce and mix until it is all coated over the pasta.
• toss with the cheese and serve immediately.

PENNE ALLA VODKA

Steps:

• Melt butter in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in vodka, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 4 minutes. Add tomato puree and cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in ham, Tabasco, salt, and pepper. Keep sauce warm over very low heat. Cook pasta in 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt per every 4 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain pasta. Add pasta to sauce and toss with sauce and cheese, adding some of reserved cooking water if pasta seems dry.

NICK AND TONI'S PENNE ALLA VECCHIA BETTOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.
• Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan.
• Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes. Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Serve with an additional sprinkle of Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh oregano on each plate.

PENNA ALLA ROCCA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
• Add chopped onions, chopped garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté until onions begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Add tomato and tomato paste and stir until tomatoes are just warmed through, about 2 minutes.
• Mix in balsamic vinegar; bring the sauce to a boil.
• Add cooked pasta, 1 cup of Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil.
• Add salt and toss.
• Transfer to another large bowl and serve with remaining Parmesan cheese.

PENNE A LA CARBONARA

Steps:

• Heat a large saute pan, until hot. Add pancetta and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and remove pan from heat.
• In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish.
• In a large pot, boil 6 quarts of salted boiling water. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse with water; you want to retain the pasta's natural starches so that the sauce will stick. While the pasta is still hot, return it back to the pot. Add the browned pancetta and mix well. Add the cream mixture and coat the pasta completely. It's important to work quickly while the pasta is still warm so that the cream mixture will cook, but not curdle. Add remaining Parmesan and chopped parsley.