Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

Submitted by Kozmic Blues

"This is one of the BEST tomato sauces I have EVER made! Veganized from a recipe I saw made on the Barefoot Contessa byJoe Realmuto, executive chef and owner of the East Hampton restaurant Nick & Toni’s. This recipe, as we are told, is one of his most popular dishes. I watched and I was a believer. Sure, he baked the sauce in the oven for an hour and a half, and used an entire CUP of vodka... I thought: ditch the cream, replace it with recipe #390747, loose the cheese... I'm ready to try this!!"

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Ready In:: 1hr 15mins
Ingredients:: 13
Serves:: 6

ingredients

¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, diced
¹⁄₂ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup vodka
2 (28 ounce) cans plum tomatoes, whole (San Marzano are nice, but not necessary)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb penne pasta (I've even used whole wheat)
4 tablespoons fresh oregano
For the cashew heavy cream
¹⁄₂ cup cashews, raw, unsalted
1 cup almond milk, unsweetened (soymilk ok too)

directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent.
Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.
Meanwhile, add the tomatoes and crush them into the pan with your hands. Add 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper.
Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
While the sauce simmers in the oven, prepare the cream:
Add cashews and non dairy milk to a blender and blend until completely pureed and smooth, set aside.
Remove tomato sauce from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
Place the tomato mixture in a blender and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency (or if you have an immersion blender, that would work well here). Return to the pan.
Reheat the sauce, add 2 tablespoons fresh oregano and enough cashew cream to make the sauce a creamy consistency.
Add salt and pepper, to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain.
Toss the pasta into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes more.

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Reviews

I too saw this on tv and penne alla vodka is my favorite! Turned out fabulous! Now my go to recipe

CIndytc

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Kozmic Blues

Providence, Rhode Island

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