Pasta Alla Vodka

Delicious pasta alla vodka in a tomato-cream sauce where vodka cooks off and intensifies the flavor.  This deserves a spot in your repertoire.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces short pasta (penne, fusilli)
• ½ pound bacon (diced)
• 6 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 small shallots (minced)
• ¼ cup vodka
• 1 ½ cups tomato purée
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Red pepper flakes (a pinch)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or more)
• Ground pepper (to taste)
• 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or butter
• ½ cup parmesan cheese (grated; plus more for serving)
• Basil leaves (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Save about a cup of pasta water for the sauce.
2. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.  Set aside.  Discard the rendered fat.
3. On the same pan, add a little oil.  Cook garlic and shallots until softened, about 2 minutes.
4. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
5. Pour in vodka, tomato purée, heavy cream, salt, and pepper.  Stir and let it simmer.  By this time, turn the heat down.
6. When it starts to simmer, add peas and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
7. Taste and see if it needs more salt.
8. Add bacon and pasta.  Toss to coat.  
9. You may need to add some pasta water to thin it out, if the sauce seems to be too thick.  Start with a little and add more pasta water as needed.
10. Add olive oil/butter and stir in the cheese and serve with some fresh basil leaves.