Rigatoni alla Vodka
Rigatoni alla vodka is a fantastic choice for a weeknight meal when you simply don’t have much time or many ingredients.
This rigatoni alla vodka is going to make you the star of your kitchen when anyone tastes their first bite!
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Honestly, I’m not joking when I say that. You wouldn’t believe the reviews that I’ve had on my penne alla vodka recipe, like this one from 2020.
And Jennifer R wrote this one in 2017: “We just had it for dinner and it’s the best Penne alla Vodka I’ve ever made or eaten. Even my youngest son who isn’t a fan of tomato based pasta sauces, went back for seconds, thirds and fourths… until it was all gone.” I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to share rigatoni alla vodka (yes, it’s the same, just different pasta, but people searching for this recipe won’t find my other one online.)
Why This Recipe Works
Not going to lie, my Zia Francesca is an amazing cook and she gave me this recipe. Anything my aunt makes is incredibly delicious. Use good quality ingredients for the extra virgin olive oil, pancetta, and the pasta you use will make or break your end result.
How to Choose Good Quality Pasta
To source good quality pasta there are a few things to look at on the package.
1. Look at the ingredients: 100% durum wheat semolina (semola di grano duro) and that’s all that should be on the list (some list water, and if it’s egg pasta, eggs will be listed.)
2. It should be “bronze die cut pasta” or “trafilatura a bronzo” in Italian. This means that the pasta is extruded through bronze dies versus teflon dies. Bronze dies produce a rough texture which helps the sauce adhere to the pasta more than the smooth texture from teflon dies and these pastas are usually slow-dried, which is an added benefit. Also, this rough texture exudes more starch into the water creating a better sauce, too. This is a super interesting article about the history of bronze dies in its origin of Gragnano, Italy.
3. Lastly, if you can see the pasta through the packaging, your eyes can tell you quicker than looking at labels: good quality pasta is pale in color and has a short of chalky white appearance. The darker and and more yellow the pasta looks, the more of a chance it’s a much lower quality and you’ll taste it. *See my note at the bottom about Barilla pasta.
The problem is that if you don’t know what is good quality pasta, you won’t know poor quality pasta, so if you want to taste and feel the difference, try cooking some of each type (for example any pasta that checks the three criteria above, and blue box standard Barilla), add the same sauce and try both. You’ll be blown away. Look at this comment on a YouTube clip of a chef just showing the difference between bronze die cut and teflon cut pasta.
“I immediately tasted the difference when I stumbled on an imported Italian bronze cut durum wheat pasta and had no idea why. I just knew I couldn’t go back. Now I know. The texture and flavor is superior to teflon cut pasta, hands down.” -koreandude81
The final two ingredients, the heavy cream (try to find one without added ingredients like gellan gum) and vodka (I like Ketel One) are key, too. If you follow these tips, this recipe will be foolproof for you.
This is an Italian-American recipe, and just so you know, the original pasta used is penne. I actually prefer rigatoni with this sauce. It’s a personal choice as you can truly use any pasta shape you like, but one with ridges and/or bronze cut pasta will allow the sauce to adhere better.
The Price of Good Quality Pasta – Is it Justified?
I try to find good quality pasta on sale and stock up to save money, but sometimes the shape I want for a certain recipe is going to be $5 a pound or maybe even $8 a pound. Do I justify paying this much money for another lesser quality product you can find in the regular grocery store for $1 or $2 a pound? The answer is 110% YES! Here’s ther math ~
If you go out to a restaurant for pasta, let’s take the horribly inauthentic Olive Garden, which doesn’t even serve proper Italian food (I just went to their website menu for prices of their dishes and was HORRIFIED by what they are serving!) For a basic spaghetti with marinara sauce (no meat), you’ll pay about $16 without tax and tip. Let’s underestimate and just say you pay $18 out of pocket for your dish–did you know that you are paying about $80/lb for that pasta?
Here’s the kicker: most chain restaurants like Olive Garden are not using top quality pasta and ingredients! So next time you see a package of really good quality pasta for $5, I hope you think twice about the price and give it a try.
Rigatoni alla Vodka
Based on my Zia Francesca’s Penne alla Vodka Serves 5
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil – good quality, like Bariani
- garlic
- pancetta
- parsley
- tomato purée (tomatoes)
- salt
- vodka
- cream
- fresh basil
- rigatoni – good quality, 100% durum wheat semolina (mezzi rigatoni are just shorter) mezzi means half
Directions to Make Rigatoni alla Vodka
In a large pot, cook the rigatoni according to the instructions on the box. It is important to use enough water, and to add enough salt. Add the pasta when the water is at a rolling boil and stir often.
While the rigatoni are cooking, heat the olive oil over medium to med-high heat in a very large, deep sauté pan, then add the pancetta and cook for a minute or two. Next, add the garlic.
When the garlic just begins to brown, add the chopped parsley, and turn the burner up to high. When the pan is very hot, add the tomato puree and have the lid ready in case it squirts out of the pan, then stir quickly with a wooden spoon.
Remove the lid if using, lower the heat, but cook the sauce so it briskly simmers (this is a quick sauce, not one which simmers low and slow.) Add salt and continue to stir often, making sure it doesn’t become too dry.
After 7 or 8 minutes, when the sauce has started to thicken, check for salt, then add the vodka and stir well.
Next, add the cream, and stir well. Once it comes to a simmer, turn off the heat.
When the pasta is al dente, drain it in a colander, or fish out with a strainer, and reserve some pasta water.
Add the rigatoni directly to the vodka sauce and stir well. Add pasta water as needed.
Serve into plates immediately.
Top with more sauce and a sprig of basil, or some chopped Italian parsley. Buon appetito!
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Rigatoni alla Vodka
Ingredients
- 5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (good quality)
- 4 cloves garlic smashed with the flat part of a knife blade
- ⅓ cup pancetta cut into small pieces (omit for vegetarian)
- 1 small bunch Italian parsley chopped
- 26 oz Italian tomato puree (good quality)
- ⅛ tsp sea salt to taste
- ¼ cup vodka (good quality)
- 2 oz heavy cream (preferably organic)
- 5 leaves basil
- 1 lb rigatoni (good quality)
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the rigatoni according to the instructions on the box. It is important to use enough water, and to add enough salt. Add the pasta when the water is at a rolling boil and stir often.
- While the rigatoni are cooking, heat the olive oil over medium to med-high heat in a very large, deep sauté pan, then add the pancetta and cook for a minute or two. Next, add the garlic.
- When the garlic just begins to brown, add the chopped parsley, and turn the burner up to high. When the pan is very hot, add the tomato puree and have the lid ready in case it squirts out of the pan, then stir quickly with a wooden spoon.
- Remove the lid if using, lower the heat, but cook the sauce so it briskly simmers (this is a quick sauce, not one which simmers low and slow.)
- Add salt and continue to stir often, making sure it doesn't become too dry.
- After 7 or 8 minutes, when the sauce has started to thicken, check for salt, then add the vodka and stir well.
- Next, add the cream, and stir well. Once it comes to a simmer, turn off the heat.
- Stir in the chopped basil, and taste for salt. Add pepper if desired.
- When the pasta is al dente, drain it in a colander, or fish out with a strainer, and reserve some pasta water. Add the rigatoni directly to the vodka sauce and stir well. Add pasta water as needed.
- Serve into plates immediately, and top with more sauce and a sprig of basil, or some chopped Italian parsley.
Notes
- Be sure to keep some pasta water to use in the final step.
Nutrition
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