Petes Total Food

This creamy vodka pasta is the kind of dish that checks every box: hearty rigatoni, spicy Italian sausage, a rich tomato-vodka sauce, and plenty of Parmesan. The vodka helps bring out the flavor of the tomato paste while the heavy cream turns it into a smooth, velvety sauce that coats every piece of pasta. Pair it with homemade garlic bread loaded with roasted garlic, Parmesan, parsley, and butter, and you’ve got a restaurant-style meal that’s surprisingly easy to make at home.

Prep Time: 25 Minutes | Cook Time: 1 Hour | Serves: 4-6 | See Full Video Below

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Rigatoni 
• 1 lb Hot Italian Sausage 
• 1/2 Yellow Onion
• 4-6 Garlic Cloves
• 6-9 Basil Leaves
• 6 Oz Tomato Paste 
• 1/4 Cup Vodka 
• 1 1/2 – 2 Cups Heavy Cream 
• 1 Cup Parmesan
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Italian Seasoning 
• Red Pepper Flakes

Garlic Bread:

• 1 Ciabatta Loaf or Ciabatta Sandwich Rolls
• 1 Cup or 2 Sticks Unsalted Room Temp Butter
• 1 Head of Garlic
• 1/4 Cup Italian Parsley
• 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan 
• Flaky Sea Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tsp Olive Oil

Directions:

• Start by cutting off the top of the head of garlic, then drizzle with a little olive oil and salt
• Wrap the garlic tightly in foil and roast it in the oven or air fryer for 45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit
• Next dice the yellow onion and garlic, chop the basil and parsley, and grate the parmesan 
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and heavily salt the water
• In a large pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and cook the onion until translucent and lightly season with salt and pepper
• Add the Italian sausage and cook until deeply browned, while breaking it into small pieces
• Once browned, add the garlic and cook until fragrant (30-60 seconds)
• Add the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens to a deep red color
• Next add the vodka and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula while allowing it to reduce
• When the alcohol is almost gone, lower the heat and add the heavy cream
• Stir until completely combined, then bring the sauce to a gentle simmer
• Add the basil and season with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste
• Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions
• While the pasta is cooking, add the softened room temp butter to a bowl
• Remove the garlic head from the oven and squeeze the roasted cloves into the bowl along with the chopped parsley, grated parmesan, flaky sea salt and pepper to taste
• Mix well then spread the garlic butter on the faces of the bread
• If you’re using the ciabatta rolls simply cut them in half
• If you’re using a ciabatta loaf, cut it in half and then cut each half into 1 inch long batons
• Use all the butter to cover the bread then bake the bread at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy
• Before draining the pasta, reserve at least 1/2 cup of pasta water
• Drain the pasta, then transfer it directly into the sauce
• Add about 1/3 cup of pasta water and toss everything together over medium heat until the pasta is coated in the sauce (you don’t need all of the pasta water)
• Remove from the heat and gradually mix in the freshly grated parmesan
• Add more pasta water as needed until the sauce is smooth and glossy.
• Serve immediately with additional parmesan, fresh basil and the garlic bread and enjoy!