After making this recipe on Oprah, many women wrote in to Rach telling her that they've gotten engaged after cooking this dish for their boyfriends — hence the name of the recipe: You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta!
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- ¼-pound chunk prosciutto di Parma, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 rib celery from the heart with leafy tops, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup vodka, such as Tito's organic
- One 28- to 32-ounce can D.O.P. Italian tomatoes
- 1 cup passata, tomato purée or tomato sauce
- ½ cup heavy cream
- A few leaves of basil, torn
- 1 pound penne rigate
- Freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add prosciutto and render 2 minutes. Add onions, celery, garlic, salt and pepper; partially cover and cook until very tender, 10-12 minutes. Add vodka and reduce by half. Add tomatoes and passata, and simmer 20 minutes to cook the tomatoes down. Add cream and basil, and reduce heat to low.
Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt water, drop pasta and cook one minute less than al dente.
Add half a cup of starchy cooking water to the sauce just before draining. Add drained pasta to the sauce and toss to combine; adjust salt and pepper.
Serve penne in shallow bowls topped with cheese.
