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1

Sighwtfman t1_itnfllq wrote

Looks really good.

I'm not really a pasta person. Or more accurately I see something like this and I can't help but think it would go well with meat. Chicken. Hot sausage*. Something.

But that's me. 80% carnivore.

​

*I used to live near a pasta Italian place. It was a weird place. They served high-end food at mid-level prices. I loved it. They made their own sausages. And their spicy Italian was incredible. Just out of this world. Which is great until you move and forever more all Italian sausages taste second third best at best.

−27

MsChrissikins t1_itnhxzf wrote

Looooove me a good vodka sauce! Looks delicious!

81

scooby3doobydq t1_itnrtrn wrote

I made this tonight (with prosciutto.) there's not enough praise I could give for this dish. I make a lot of Italian food, and I like to think I'm pretty good at it.

38

AndyMike9 t1_ito66dj wrote

I would pay you money to let me put this in my mouth

5

Interesting-Poet-258 t1_itoai51 wrote

I am blessed to have the spicy rigatoni vodka sauce recipe from a place that is very well known for it. It’s almost there staple dish

10

141Frox141 t1_itog0ik wrote

I'll have one, hold the pasta, hold the sauce, extra vodka

6

LargishBosh t1_itohmgn wrote

Vodka sauce is sooo good. Once I was shopping with my preschooler and I asked them what kind of pasta sauce we should buy. They just shouted “Vodka! Vodka! Vodka!” so enthusiastically in the middle of the store and it made my day. Extra funny because I don’t like the taste of alcohol so I don’t drink myself.

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seviay t1_itonznf wrote

Come on now, recipe or it didn’t happen

2

[deleted] t1_itopgye wrote

That’s some good looking vodka sauce!!

1

OobleCaboodle t1_itoyosc wrote

Why vodka? It's famously devoid of any taste, what does it bring to a dish?

13

Dannyboy765 t1_itp12l4 wrote

Vodka sauce is way better than traditional spaghetti sauce IMO. I get that they're not the same flavor profiles, so you can't fully compare, but they have similarities

1

georgke t1_itp2c4r wrote

Isn't this very similar to Stroganoff? Another great liquor for tomato sauce iss is Pastis/Sambuca or yeni raki. The anis flavour plays really well with tomato. Add some prawns in there to if you like.

0

this_dudeagain t1_itpa1qi wrote

Velveeta and vodka will get you there.

−2

emkay99 t1_itpge0h wrote

I don't think I've ever had vodka sauce. But I've drunk vodka and (unless it's flavored) it really has no taste. So if you burn off the alcohol in the cooking, what's left?

1

Tobl4 t1_itppa2v wrote

Since the vodka seems to be primarily for the bite and alcohol emulsion, could one replace it with another clear spirit if you don't have vodka around?

1

silkymoonshine t1_itpsmla wrote

I made this yesterday, but with yellow cachaça instead of vodka and it left a taste - still tasty, but much better with vodka, lol. I love this sauce.

1

nostaljack t1_itpurlk wrote

I have never seen a pasta with vodka sauce look this appealing. I’d smash.

3

Wishilikedhugs t1_itpvmq5 wrote

Vodka sauce is great and it amazes me how many people don't know about it. I'm from NJ and a couple of the pizzerias by me had it as a sauce option and that shit was legit. Been missing it since moving to MD where the pizza and I don't exactly get along. Anyway, if you make your own pizza, I suggest trying it!

2

aaronblue342 t1_itpw37b wrote

Replying to OobleCaboodle (#216,128)

As much as you can handle /s

Like a 1/4 cup, if im doing the math right from my recipe as I remember it. Also make it top shelf so it wont impart any unwanted flavors.

Fun fact, it doesnt boil off, its just so diluted you wont get drunk.

5

JTibbs t1_itpwfmk wrote

Replying to emkay99 (#216,396)

Iirc alcohol will alter the flavor of some foods by dissolving some compounds into solution that are not necessarily water soluable, so some vodka added to a totatonsauce can enhance or bring out new flavors.

1

ZtephenGrackus OP t1_itpxwnm wrote

Replying to emkay99 (#216,396)

It melds with the acid in the tomato, the bite of the garlic, the spice from the red pepper. Really a great combo. Really enhances the other flavors. It also helps blend the cream in so it doesn't break.

1

ZtephenGrackus OP t1_itpzb6h wrote

Replying to Wishilikedhugs (#218,568)

Philly suburbs, which you think would have passable options but nope! I've found some good ones but they're still not the same and not on every other corner like NJ. Same with diners, weirdly not a "thing" around here.

2

Wishilikedhugs t1_itq00ks wrote

Replying to ZtephenGrackus (#218,614)

That's been my experience in MD. I can't just go anywhere and expect it be decent. I've asked locals for help and then I realized that their taste in pizza is not the same as mine. I've had more than one person tell me Papa John's and every other chain you can think of. They really like this stuff called Ledo, which consists of cracker crust, ketchup esque sweet sauce and undercooked provolone on top..they think that's good pizza. It feels so defeating.

I totally get you with the burb issue though. At least you can take the bridge over. There's lots of good pizza in Cherry Hill.

2

yummyyummybrains t1_itq1uli wrote

Replying to texmexdaysex (#215,715)

Someone already answered, but a deeper answer is: alcohol does change the way flavors are expressed. Some substances are water soluble. Some are fat soluble. Alcohol does a pretty good job of breaking down some substances that don't break down in water -- but maybe aren't fat soluble (but they could also be). You may notice that many/most degreasing products in your kitchen contain a non-potable form of alcohol -- for this very reason.

So, if you introduce alcohol into food, the alcohol can react with the other ingredients, and introduce subtle changes to the flavor -- because of what I described above. There may be a chance that it can also help as an emulsifier (i.e. helps to blend oil/fat and water) to better combine the cream and tomato.

Additionally, if the booze you use has its own flavor profile (like wine, or bourbon), you'll be adding those flavors as well. Risotto absolutely needs white wine (or verjus) or it tastes "flat". Same with beef bourguignon.

Vodka is a neutral spirit (for the most part), so the flavor profile will be secondary to any other property its inclusion brings.

41

Help_An_Irishman t1_itq9sng wrote

Is this the Bon Appétit recipe? I think I make this same one, and it's amazing!

2

emkay99 t1_itqa3uv wrote

Replying to JTibbs (#218,241)

Okay, thanks. I wasn't aware of alcohol acting as a deeper chemical catalyst. I cook with wine frequently, and I've cooked with rum (though I don't really like the taste of rum from a glass), and those, of course, add an extra taste to the dish -- but it's a taste of "themselves," if you follow what I mean. It's like adding any other ingredient. This is a whole different issue that I hadn't considered.

2

JTibbs t1_itqb3bm wrote

Replying to emkay99 (#219,909)

Vodkas used in a tomato cream sauce like that because of the lack of flavor, so it only serves to enhance and not impart a wine taste or additional sugars/caramel/etc.. a dry, very clean tasting white rum might be a substitute though.

Honestly, the purer the better. Ive had some white rums before that were basically indistinguishable from vodka.

1

Playful_Bee9967 t1_itqfs2m wrote

Dang! I have all the ingredients for this, so guess what's fo dinner! Thannks for sharing!!

2

TheLadyEve t1_itqfvck wrote

Replying to georgke (#215,255)

No, Stroganoff has sour cream in it and is usually based on beef stock, and it usually has mushrooms in it and isn't tomato-based. The flavor is completely different.

1

JTibbs t1_itqgd5w wrote

Replying to ZtephenGrackus (#220,636)

Looking at it, i realize i made essentially the same recipe, only with a handful of spinach added to it the other day with gnocci as the pasta when i had nothing else in my pantry.

It was a real ‘i aint got shit, what can i throw together’ night.

2

sausagemuffn t1_itqgl05 wrote

Replying to Tobl4 (#217,314)

Distilled white spirits tend to be very similar in having a lack of flavour aside from ethanol's own bite. Some do, if course, like gin, where flavour is added after first distillation. As long as the alcohol is tasteless, it will work.

2

georgke t1_itqjv2f wrote

Replying to TheLadyEve (#220,617)

Youre right, I've been lied to all my life cause a restaurant we frequented when I was younger served beef stroganoff and it definitely had tomato in it.

1

Ript1de t1_itqk0jp wrote

It looks fantastic! I haven't made my vodka sauce in forever because I have been trying to lose weight so I'm avoiding pasta, but penne alla vodka is my go to "impressive" meal. I made it for my now fiancee before we started dating. I make mine with a base of homemade marinara instead of just tomato paste. Usually I make the marinara for something else, and then use the Leftovers for vodka sauce. However when I made it for my fiancee, I woke up early before work and made the marinara that morning, and then made the vodka sauce and pasta. I brought it to her at work(we met at work, call center where worked the same schedule) and dropped it by her desk. It was a birthday present because she had never had it before. She ate some of it, and then took it home and her roommates ate the rest of it. They told her then she needed to dump her current s/o and date me instead. We started actually dating a couple weeks later.

2

ZtephenGrackus OP t1_itqktcn wrote

Replying to Jimmy_Twotone (#221,171)

I've admittedly never had store or jarred vodka sauce but I would imagine homemade is miles apart! I wouldn't think grocery store sauce would have actual vodka in it which is a key flavor (and ingredient to making it silky smooth).

3

cdnsalix t1_itql2ij wrote

The recipe I have calls to add the vodka to the meat before the tomato stuff, and to egnite it. Opinions on egniting the vodke vs not in terms of flavour?

1

ZtephenGrackus OP t1_itqlxzs wrote

Replying to cdnsalix (#221,259)

I think igniting it "burns" the alcohol bite off quicker. I usually opt to just deglaze with liquor because I'm scared to burn down my apartment hahaha. I've done it before (in smaller pans, this was a big pot) and haven't noticed a huge difference in taste. Maybe just a timing difference.

1

cdnsalix t1_itqmwvu wrote

Replying to ZtephenGrackus (#221,361)

Now I'm just embarrassed I misspelled "ignite" not just one but twice. I was arguing aloud with the spellcheck on my phone for suggesting other words (yet none of which was "ignite"). Not sure if I need cold medication, more coffee, or sleep. Probably all of the above.

1

UEMcGill t1_itqqlu8 wrote

Replying to yummyyummybrains (#218,909)

Grrat explanation so I'll add to it. Lycopenes specifically are alcohol soluble and vodka helps in getting them into the flavor profile. (alcohol is a not an emulsifier though, here its a solubilizer) The ethanol extracts it, then evaporates leaving it suspended in the sauce.

5

notinmywheelhouse t1_itqyo51 wrote

I made a vodka meat sauce with basil on rotini last night and it was yummy

2

sarahhopefully t1_itr8xx8 wrote

Yum!! This is on my list for this week. I love the recipe from Smitten Kitchen and usually cook up some Italian sausage to go on top too. I love the pasta shape you chose!

2

Crymsm t1_itrjxj9 wrote

I've always wondered what to use Vodka sauce for...like what meats and pasta it tastes good with

1

ZoqY t1_its4vse wrote

Replying to ZtephenGrackus (#216,081)

Slowly I'm learning how useful tomato paste is when you want to make a sauce but you don't want the runniness of regular tomatoes. It's like putting condensed milk in chai tea

1

SaabVigen t1_itsmc72 wrote

A+ presentation, good use of garnish.

2

TheLadyEve t1_itsqa9m wrote

Replying to ZtephenGrackus (#221,311)

Makes sense if it's paprikash, that has the sour cream and red color from the paprika and some versions have tomatoes, so it seems like a good comparison point. Not vodka sauce, though! I will say, I think your sauce looks absolutely lovely.

2