Author Notes
I obviously did not invent the concept of a vodka pasta sauce. I wish I had, I'm fully qualified. Living in the Florida Panhandle, we have seemingly, endless and reasonably priced access to the freshest seafood. We eat a lot of it and much of that is Gulf shrimp. I've come up with many quick meals that showcase the seafood but this is our current favorite. The credit for this recipe is shared amongst the guy that created the vodka sauce concept, the guys at Cool Fish Market and the shrimp. I just brought them all together. Although this comes together quickly, take your time heating the garlic very gently. - Andra —ourlastsupper
Test Kitchen Notes
There's a good reason why pasta with vodka sauce is a classic: it's comfort food at its finest. Andra's version, with its boozy kick and lovely sprinkling of basil, is elegant enough to make my partner think I had spent hours over the stove, yet simple enough that the sauce took only slightly longer to cook than the pasta. Sadly for me, I don't have the luxury of Andra's Gulf shrimp out here, but my previously frozen ones from Whole Foods worked just fine. I would add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes next time, and believe me, there will certainly be a next time. —mg2157
Ingredients
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1
28 ounce can of tomatoes
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8 ounces
cream
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1/2 cup
vodka
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2 tablespoons
olive oil
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4
cloves of garlic, minced or crushed
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1 teaspoon
dried oregano
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Salt and pepper to taste
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1/2 cup
chopped fresh, basil
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1 1/2 pounds
large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
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1 pound
penne
Directions
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Bring pot of water to boil.
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In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium/low heat and saute garlic just until it releases aroma. Empty can of tomatoes into pot and mash with potato masher. Increase heat to medium/high, add vodka and simmer over medium low heat until thick, about 10 minutes. Add cream. oregano, salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for 10 more minutes. Add shrimp and cook over medium heat until the shrimp are pink, about 6 minutes.
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When water comes to a boil, cook penne until al dente.
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Combine the sauce and the penne. Sprinkle with the chopped basil and serve.
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