Quick Penne Alla Vodka with Pancetta
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This delicious Penne Alla Vodka with Pancetta dish can be ready in under 30 minutes!
When I think about this meal, I think back to my teens and early twenties when I used to always order Penne Alla Vodka at restaurants. To me, it’s the perfect blend of tomato sauce and cream, with a little extra kick from the vodka. Because I loved it so, I assumed it must be difficult or complicated to make at home. I was wrong. One day, my dear friend Steph taught me to make Penne Alla Vodka in her parent’s kitchen using beautiful canned tomatoes from her Nonna’s garden. Nothing can ever compare to a sauce made from tomatoes grown with love and care in a Grandmother’s yard, but I think this Penne Alla Vodka with Pancetta is a strong contender!
This Quick Penne Alla Vodka with Pancetta is a go to meal in my house. The acid in the marinara is perfectly balanced by the heavy cream, while the fattiness of the crispy pancetta is beautifully cut by the vodka. I have no doubt that once you try this recipe, it will become a staple in your cooking arsenal as well.
TOTAL TIME
- Preparation Time – 5-10 minutes
- Cooking Time – 20 minutes to cook the sauce and pasta on two different burners
- Total Time – Under 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup and 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil divided
- 150 g Pancetta
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1/4 cup Vodka
- 680 ml Passata (pureed tomatoes, you can also use canned and squish them)
- 3/4 tsp Sea salt plus more for the pasta water
- 5 Basil leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup Cream (preferably heavy cream)
- 500 g Penne or short pasta (I buy De Cecco or Garafolo)
- Chili flakes and freshly grated parmesan for serving (optional)
WHAT IS PANCETTA?
Pancetta is similar to bacon with one important difference: while bacon is smoked and purchased raw, pancetta is salt cured and dried, which means it is safe to eat without being cooked. Pancetta is a beautiful product that originates in Italy, but is very easy to find in most grocery stores. You can buy it in larger chunks or pre diced in most deli departments. I like to save myself some time and purchase it pre diced.
PASATTA vs PUREED TOMATOES. WHICH IS BEST?
Passata is crushed, strained, tomatoes. There are many brands and styles of passata, but I like to buy Mutti which is bottled in Italy. It is smooth, and brightly flavoured with fresh tomatoes. If possible, buy passata that has no herbs or spices so that you can season your sauce to your own tastes. Canned tomatoes can be purchased whole, diced, or crushed. The two products are mostly interchangeable in terms of taste, but the resulting texture is quite different. I like to use passata because it results in a smooth and velvety sauce that is preferred by my family. If you like a chunkier sauce, use canned tomatoes and simply squish them with your hands before adding them to your pan.
WHAT CREAM WORKS WITH BEST PENNE ALLA VODKA?
This recipe calls for a heavy cream to balance out the tartness of the vodka. I like to use whipping cream (35%), but you could just as easily use table cream (18%), or even half and half (10%) if you wished to cut the calories. I’m a firm believer that fat adds flavour, but I promise your sauce will still be delicious even with a lighter cream!
EQUIPMENT FOR PENNE ALLA VODKA WITH PANCETTA
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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make Penne Alla Vodka with Pancetta.
- Braising Pan – My most used pan by far is my Le Creuset Braising Pan. It is made of heavy cast iron and coated in ceramic as all Le Creuset cast iron pans are. It’s large and deep which makes it perfect for everything from frying to making sauces. I can’t recommend it enough.
If you don’t have a Braising Pan you can use a heavy bottomed pan.
- Fine Grater – I like to use a fine grater for mincing garlic when I want it extremely small to blend into a dish seamlessly
If you don’t have a fine grater you can use a knife and cutting board for the garlic instead.
- Large Pasta Pot
- Slotted Spoon
COOKING DIRECTIONS
This is a favourite in my household for two reasons: it’s absolutely delicious, and so quick to prepare that it can be made on a weeknight after work. This beautiful sauce is made from start to finish in one pan, and can be prepared in the time it takes to cook your pasta. A few tips will ensure perfect Penne Alla Vodka every time:
- After you put your pancetta in the pan, get your pasta water started. This meal cooks fast!
- Always cook your pasta al dente (“to the tooth”: with a bit of chew), some brands will include two times on the box: one for al dente, and one for fully cooked.
- Never rinse your pasta after cooking! Although removing the starch keeps your pasta from sticking to itself, it’s that same starch that helps your sauce cling to your pasta.
MAKE AHEAD/STORAGE
Because this meal cooks up so fast, there isn’t any need to make it in advance! You can store the finished product in the fridge for three days, and can freeze any leftovers for later.
FINISHED DISH
Portion your pasta out and enjoy this quick Penna Alla Vodka with Pancetta dish!
OTHER PASTA DISHES
Pork and Beef Rigatoni Bolognese
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment and rating below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cooking.with.carbs.
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Penne Alla Vodka with Pancetta
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Large Pasta Pot
- Heavy Bottomed Pan
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil In addition to above, used separately.
- 150 g Pancetta
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1/4 cup Vodka
- 680 ml Pasatta pureed tomatoes, you can also use canned and squish them
- 3/4 tsp Sea salt plus more for the pasta water
- 5 Basil leaves (torn)
- 1/4 cup Cream (preferably heavy cream)
- 500 g Favourite Penne or short pasta I buy De Cecco or Garafolo
- Chili flakes and freshly grated parmesan For serving – optional
Instructions
Pancetta
- Step 1: Pour 1 tbsp of olive oil into a heavy bottomed pan and turn your burner to medium/medium high heat. Your pan needs to be big enough to fit your sauce and pasta at the end. I use my Le Creuset braiser.
- Step 2: Add the pancetta to your pan and cook 5-7 minutes until it starts crisping. If you bought a large chunk, dice it into 1/2 cm cubes first.
- Step 3: Cut your garlic into a fine dice. When your pancetta looks like it’s starting to crisp, toss the garlic in with it and let it cook for about a minute.
- Step 4: Pour in your vodka, and let it simmer until most of the liquid is cooked off and absorbed into the pancetta (about 3-4 minutes).
- Extra Tips: After you put your pancetta in the pan, get your pasta water started. This meal cooks fast!
Pasta
- Step 1: Fill a large pot of water 3/4 full and place covered on high heat.
- Step 2: When your water is bowling, toss in some salt (I like using sea salt, but it’s not necessary).
- Step 3: Add your pasta and set your timer.
- Step 4: Drain your pasta.
- Extra Tip: I always cook my pasta al dente (“to the tooth”: with a bit of chew), some brands will include two times on the box: one for al dente, and one for cooked.
Vodka Sauce
- Step 1: After your vodka has been almost entirely absorbed, add another 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil to your pan.
- Step 2: Immediately add your passata and salt and mix.
- Extra tips: If you are using canned tomatoes instead of passata, simply squish them with your hands over the pan, then add the liquid. The texture will be a bit chunkier in the end, but no less delicious!
- Step 3: Turn the heat down to medium and leave your sauce to simmer while your pasta cooks.
- Step 4: Just before your pasta is finished, toss in a few torn basil leaves.
- Step 5: Taste and add more salt if desired.
PENNE ALLA VODKA WITH PANCETTA
- When your pasta is finished, add it to your marinara and pancetta and mix. Keep the heat at medium, and pour in your heavy cream. Keep mixing for a minute or two, until the flavours blend and your sauce starts to cling to the penne, then take it off the heat.
Tried this last night and it was such a hit! Super delicious, will make again!
I am always looking for quick pasta recipes. This looks great. Going to try it tonight. Thanks for the recipe.
I love a quick and easy pasta recipe, and this one looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it for dinner this week!
It looks so good! I love pasta especially when Im carbo loading
Penne with Vodka sauce sounds wonderful! Love that there is pancetta in the recipe too!
Total comfort food! I loved the addition of pancetta. So flavorful!