Email to Cat      

Penne alla Vecchia Bettola

Source of Recipe

From "Barefoot Contessa: Foolproof" by Ina Garten


Recipe Introduction

"Nick & Toni's has been one of the great restaurants in East Hampton for about twenty years and this pasta has been on the menu the entire time! It's like the old standby penne alla vodka but with so much more flavor. Chef Joe Realmuto was kind enough to share the recipe with me, which originated from a restaurant in Florence that the owners loved. If you don't have a twelve-inch ovenproof sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid, you can use a Dutch oven or large pot."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ¼ cup good olive oil
â—¦ 2 ½ cups chopped Spanish onion (1 large)
â—¦ 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
â—¦ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
â—¦ 1 cup vodka
â—¦ 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ ¾ pound penne, such as De Cecco
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, plus extra for serving
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream
â—¦ ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 more minute. Add the vodka and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture is reduced by half. Using clean hands, crush each tomato into the pan. Add 2 teaspoons of the salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, place in the oven, and bake for 1 ½ hours.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside.

Two cups at a time, carefully pour the tomato mixture into a blender and purée until smooth. Return the tomato mixture to the sauté pan (be careful; the handle is hot!). Add the fresh oregano, cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and simmer partially covered for 10 minutes. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese and serve hot sprinkled with extra Parmesan and fresh oregano.

Serves 4