Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your feedback 🙂

1 lb shell pasta + 1 cup starchy cooking liquid
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small red onion, diced (about 1 cup) 1 shallot, white or yellow onion work, too!
2 cloves garlic, minced the best garlic chopper!
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp vodka See Note 1 for substitutions
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese + more to taste
sea salt and pepper, to taste
chopped basil, to taste

Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining (you may not need all of this, but I always reserve 1 cup).
While pasta is cooking, over medium heat, add olive oil to a large pan. When oil is hot, add onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir often so garlic doesn’t burn.
Add tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Tomato paste will turn a slightly darker color.
Add vodka (if using) and cook for 1 minute. To make this dish without vodka simply omit this step OR use one of the substitutions listed in Note 1.
Add heavy cream and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often until sauce thickens (it will thicken up quickly!).
Add in your pasta, 1/2 cup of pasta water and butter. Stir, stir, stir until butter is “melted and saucy” according to Gigi! 🙂 Make sure the pasta is completely coated in the sauce. Add a little more pasta water if sauce seems too thick.
Stir in Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

by LordFarquuad32

4 Comments

  1. Kevundoe

    I personally prefer flat parsley but other then that it looks perfect to me. Can you share the recipe?

  2. LordFarquuad32

    1 lb shell pasta + 1 cup starchy cooking liquid
    1/2 cup olive oil
    1 small red onion, diced (about 1 cup) 1 shallot, white or yellow onion work, too!
    2 cloves garlic, minced the best garlic chopper!
    1/2 cup tomato paste
    2 tbsp vodka See Note 1 for substitutions
    1 cup heavy cream
    2 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
    2 tbsp butter
    1/2 cup Parmesan cheese + more to taste
    sea salt and pepper, to taste
    chopped basil, to taste

    Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining (you may not need all of this, but I always reserve 1 cup).
    While pasta is cooking, over medium heat, add olive oil to a large pan. When oil is hot, add onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir often so garlic doesn’t burn.
    Add tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Tomato paste will turn a slightly darker color.
    Add vodka (if using) and cook for 1 minute. To make this dish without vodka simply omit this step OR use one of the substitutions listed in Note 1.
    Add heavy cream and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often until sauce thickens (it will thicken up quickly!).
    Add in your pasta, 1/2 cup of pasta water and butter. Stir, stir, stir until butter is “melted and saucy” according to Gigi! 🙂 Make sure the pasta is completely coated in the sauce. Add a little more pasta water if sauce seems too thick.
    Stir in Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.

  3. smol_egglet

    My only suggestions (of course not sure if you do this already) but salt your pasta water, and I always cook till like 2-3 minutes under Al dente via the box and then transfer the pasta directly from the pot of water to the sauce pan (you get a good amount of pasta water and don’t have to risk not having enough since you have the entire pot) and let the pasta finish cooking for a minute or two in the sauce 🙂 looks frickin delicious. Enjoy!!

Write A Comment