Ina Garten's Penne alla Vecchia Bettola
This recipe outlines Ina Garten's Penne alla Vecchia Bettola, a rich pasta dish featuring a creamy vodka tomato sauce. It involves sautéing aromatics, simmering crushed tomatoes with vodka and spices, and finishing with heavy cream and Pecorino Romano cheese, tossed with al dente penne pasta for a comforting and robust Italian meal.
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven For simmering the sauce.
- 1 Saucepan For boiling pasta.
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula For stirring and crushing tomatoes.
Ingredients
Main
- * 1/4 cup olive oil
- * 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- * 5 cloves garlic diced
- * 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- * 1.5 tsp oregano
- * 1 cup vodka
- * 2 28oz can peeled plum tomatoes
- * Kosher sald
- * freshly ground pepper
- * 3/4 lb penne
- * 4 tble fresh oregano
- * 1 cup heavy cream
- * 1/2 cup pecorino romano cheese + extra to sprinkle on pasta
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then sauté the chopped yellow onion until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the diced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, cooking for an additional minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Stir in the dried oregano, then pour in the vodka. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
- Add the two cans of peeled plum tomatoes, crushing them by hand or with a potato masher directly in the pot. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or up to an hour for deeper flavor.
- While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- Uncover the sauce, then stir in the heavy cream and the 4 tablespoons of fresh oregano.
- Add the cooked, drained penne directly to the sauce, tossing to coat thoroughly.
- Stir in the 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, mixing vigorously. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water until the desired creamy consistency is achieved.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra grated Pecorino Romano cheese if desired.
Notes
For a deeper flavor, crush the canned plum tomatoes by hand rather than pureeing them. Deglaze the pan thoroughly with vodka, allowing it to simmer and cook off the alcohol completely. Cook your penne pasta strictly al dente, as it will finish cooking in the sauce, absorbing its rich flavors. Always reserve some pasta water; it’s excellent for emulsifying the sauce and adjusting consistency if it becomes too thick. When adding heavy cream and Pecorino, ensure the sauce is at a very gentle simmer or off the heat to prevent the dairy from separating, ensuring a velvety texture. Fresh oregano added at the end brightens the whole dish.