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1
Bring pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to directions. Retain 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and drain the rest.
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2
Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet. Saute garlic and hot red pepper just until you can smell the garlic.
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3
Remove pan from heat and add the vodka carefully (it can ignite if too hot!).
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4
When boiling stops, return the pan to the heat and stir in the tomatoes. Season with salt.
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5
Bring to a simmer and cook five minutes. (sauce can be prepared to this point up to two days in advance. Refrigerate and reheat to simmering before continuing).
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6
Turn off heat and stir in cream.
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7
Return penne to the pot, scrape in the sauce and add the basil. Stir over low heat, adding some of the reserved liquid, if needed, to make a sauce that lightly coats the pasta. Add salt if needed to taste.
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8
Remove from heat, stir in parmesan and mozzarella if using.
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9
Serve in warm, shallow bowls.
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10
Use broth instead of cooking water to add a little more flavor.
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11
Tastes good served with grilled chicken and steamed vegetables.
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12
My family includes a bunch of piggies. The recipe states four servings but if you have hungry bears at home it's more like two.
