Penne Rigate alla Vodka

If you follow me on Instagram and watch the Stories, you know I've been in a budget mode. To curb my spending, I've sentenced myself to a budget prison until further notice. So! When I started testing pasta alla vodka recipes in recent weeks, I decided to recipe test with budget-friendlier and more commonly stocked ingredients.

Rather than canned crushed tomatoes, I chose to test with canned tomato paste which costs less. I used Muir Glen Organic Tomato Paste. I also used whole milk and butter in the refrigerator to substitute heavy cream which I had been recipe testing with. Now, Vodka is not exactly a budget-friendly ingredient but it is a necessity in my space as I work with a handful of "extra special" people. When there isn't a nice thing to say about a person, the healthy thing to do is put them in that special bucket for our mental health and just let them be until they injure themselves while we draw boundaries and standards.

The bowl was wheel-thrown and glazed by me.

Oh! Where was I? Yes, Penne Rigate alla Vodka! While you can make pasta alla vodka using any pasta type, I will insist on penne rigate since it holds the vodka tomato sauce the best.

INGREDIENTS
one can of six ounces of tomato paste
four ounces of diced pancetta
a two-third cup of whole milk
one-third cup of vodka
a quarter cup of chopped yellow onion
a quarter cup of grated pecorino romano
a quarter tablespoon of butter
one teaspoon of dried oregano
one teaspoon of crushed red pepper
three cups of cooked penne rigate
a teaspoon of chopped chives to garnish
a teaspoon of grated pecorino romano to garnish

Heat a Dutch oven over high heat. Once heated, add pancetta and sauté until the edges are crisp. Remove the pancetta and set it aside while keeping the fat in the Dutch oven. Add butter, milk, tomato paste, and onion to the Dutch oven and immediately reduce the heat to medium. Stir and mix for about a minute.

Add vodka, dried oregano, and crushed red peppers. Stir for about a minute or two. Add back the pancetta. Stir for about a minute or two. Add cooked penne rigate and stir to coat the pasta with the sauce. Add pecorino romano and turn off the heat. Stir until the cheese melts. Plate, garnish with chives and grated cheese, and serve. Bon Appétit!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Style LookBook: September 2025

Image
Chaos! That is the word that has been resonating with me in politics and at work. Fortunately, it is easy to put distance with them. I can't save the world. I can't vacuum toxicity. All that I can do is not let all that chaos creep into my space while I live my life with all that truly matters.  Simplicity was the primary motivation in curating pieces for this Lookbook. Neutral tones fluidly connect the look to an effortlessly chic draped cowl-neck top by Ganni and a pair of jeans, a casual icon, from Gestuz. [TOP] GANNI Draped Cowl-Neck Top [DENIM PANTS] GESTUZ Bebbie Jeans [SHOES] JEFFREY CAMPBEL Leather Ballet Flats [COAT] FABIANA FILIPPI Belted Wool Coat [BAG] GUCCI Pre-Owned 2016-2025 Diamante Canvas Village Double G Shoulder Bag While all items are curated by me, I earn commissions from retailers on qualified items. Items shown are not shown in scale.
Read more

Are we living in 1864?

Image
My heart sank. There it was on my iPhone: New York Times headline- Justice Dept. Asks for 1-Day Sentence for Ex-Officer Convicted in the Killing of Breonna Taylor . It took me back to 2020. The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd made headlines and triggered Black Lives Matter protests across the nation. Thousands of us marched, raised our fists, shouted Black Lives Matter, kneeled, shouted I can't breathe, and continued to march as we shouted no justice, no peace.  It was the year that made many of us realize that we hadn't changed much since the brutal torture and murder of Emmett Till in 1955. He was only fourteen years old when two white men brutally beat and killed him. There was no justice for Emmett Till 70 years ago. The judge rejected the Justice Department's sentence recommendation of one day and sentenced Brett Hankison to 33 months in prison for violating Breonna Taylor's civil rights. Was it justice?  Photo by Ryan Stone on Unsplash I...
Read more

French Drumstick

Image
Thank goodness that I love cooking smart and not harder; otherwise, I wouldn't have developed a much less work duck leg recipe. Duck meat requires low heat while cooking because the meat has tight muscle fibers and high fat content. It needs time to tenderize and render fat so the meat isn't tough.  Confit de canard usually takes two to three hours of cooking time, while Peking duck takes two to three days, so I decided to test my concept of cooking duck legs in a nonstick pan over medium heat with a weight on the top. Curious? Continue with the recipe. INGREDIENTS one duck leg, about one pound four garlic cloves two and a half ounces of French unsalted butter two twigs of rosemary one tablespoon of French thyme salt and pepper Wash the duck leg under cold running water and pat it dry. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and set it aside for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Place the duck leg, skin side down, and rosemary twigs in a nonstick pan and turn t...
Read more

Style Curated: August 2025

Image
After nearly three months on hiatus from Exhaling Life, I returned to the blog with Are we living in 1864? earlier this month. One of the monthly staples, Style LookBook , will return later this month with September LookBook while I kick off Style Curated.  Summer had been a slow start in Los Angeles. It felt that way for me until recent days. Heat suddenly spiking up has me wondering if the summer will stay later than usual. So, curated style pieces for this month reflects that wonder.  Photo by Andrej Lišakov on Unsplash curated no. one GANNI Cotton-Blend Poplin Midi Dress curated no. two Christian Louboutin Leather Ballet Flats curated no. three MUUÑ Woven Straw Tote curated no. four MIU MIU Glimpse Oval Frame Sunglasses curated no. five GIGI BURRIS MILLINERY Straw Bucket Hat curated no. six DINOSAUR DESIGNS Tortoiseshell Resin Bangle While all are curated by me, I earn commissions on qualified purchases from retailers.
Read more

Pyrus Pyrifolia Tuna Salad Sandwich

Image
Better known as Asian Pear, Pyrus Pyrifolia is my secret weapon for elevating an ordinary tuna salad sandwich to unforgettable delight. There are various Asian Pears with subtle differences, but I use Korean Pear for its more apple-like characteristics—especially for its crispiness and subtle floral sweetness.  INGREDIENTS six ounces of canned tuna, drained zest from one small lemon four tablespoons of Kewpie (Japanese mayonnaise) two tablespoons of finely chopped Asian Pear one tablespoon of finely chopped onion four cornichons , thinly sliced one eighth teaspoon of smoked paprika Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Depending on how generous I feel, the recipe yields one or two sandwiches. The best sliced bread for me has always been milk bread, toasted, of course. 
Read more