Vodka sauce refers to a red sauce from Italy prepared out of a smooth tomato sauce, vodka, rich cream and common herbs used in Italian cuisine.
History of Vodka sauce
Vodka sauce attained popular status during the 1970s through a recipe contest held in Italy where a variation of the vodka sauce recipe won. The sauce is included as a main ingredient in penne alla vodka, even despite being a sauce prior to its creation in the 1970s.
The purpose of the vodka is to exude flavors out of the tomato which otherwise are characteristically inaccessible. Italian cooking is known to employ alcohol for this purpose with the common one being wine.
Ingredients Used and Popular Methods of Preparation of Vodka sauce
Vodka sauce recipe makes use of olive oil, butter, garlic cloves, fresh parsley, chopped onions, peeled tomatoes, heavy cream, vodka, salt and pepper. Oil, garlic and butter onions are added to a pan and sautéed such that onions get clear. Thereafter tomatoes, vodka and parsley are added in. Gradually the cream is mixed in. Thereafter salt and pepper is added as per taste.
In a simple and easy recipe to make vodka sauce would be by heating a pan over medium heat, sautéing onions in butter such that they are little brown and tender. To this vodka is poured and allowed to cook for about 10 minutes. Thereafter the crushed tomatoes are mixed in and allowed to cook for about 30 minutes followed by heavy cream and then letting it cook for further 30 minutes.
Popular Vodka sauce Variations
Pasta with vodka sauce is a recipe to make pasta using any macaroni, pancetta or bacon, vodka and tomato sauce.
Penne pasta with vodka sauce is made using diced pancetta or Italian bacon along with penne pasta, heavy cream, vodka and tomato sauce.
Macaroni with vodka sauce is a variation in vodka sauce recipe that uses the regular ingredients including grooved macaroni, such as penne or rigatoni.
Fusilli (pasta) with vodka sauce is made using fusilli past along with vodka, mushrooms, chopped onions, sliced mushrooms and tomatoes as the key ingredients.
A spicy recipe can be made using vodka, crushed red pepper flakes, olive oil, prosciutto, garlic, chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh basil, tomatoes, tomato sauce, heavy cream, salt and pepper.
Shrimp in Vodka Sauce is a recipe containing shrimps richly infused by flavors of vodka, tomatoes and optionally spices.
Vodka Sauce or Classico Pasta Sauce is a classic vodka sauce recipe with Tomatoes, cheese and cream combined with a dash of vodka rendering it a rich and truly unique flavor.
Parmesan Rigatoni With Chicken in Red Vodka Sauce is a full spicy chicken preparation in rigatoni pasta noodles enhanced by the flavors of the vodka sauce particularly the red vodka sauce for pasta.
The vodka sauce recipes can be made in healthy versions along with healthy and fat free ingredients as well. For instance, any meat can be substituted by mushrooms and more greens can be incorporated as well.