Vodka Sauce Pasta — The Twentieth-Birthday Dinner

I turned twenty Tuesday June fifteenth. Twenty-eight weeks pregnant on my twentieth birthday. The factory had me on the four-thirty AM Tuesday shift. The shift ended at twelve-thirty PM. Dustin met me in the parking lot at twelve-forty with a small wrapped box and a bunch of pink ranunculus he had picked up at the Whole Foods on Memorial Drive (Whole Foods is the only store in Tulsa that stocks pink ranunculus reliably, per the small floral research Dustin had done in May).

Mama and Cody called at noon. Kathy and Mike called at one. Aunt Linda called at three. Dustin made dinner Tuesday night. He made a small simple chicken-and-rice from a recipe his mom had walked him through Saturday on the Wed-lunch-break-Kathy-call. The chicken-and-rice was the second dinner he had ever made entirely on his own. The rice was slightly overcooked. The chicken was perfect. I ate every bite without commenting.

Sunday I hosted a small twentieth-birthday dinner at the apartment with Mama, Cody (drove from Tulsa), Aunt Linda, Roy Calloway, and Dustin. Five at the apt table including me. I made vodka sauce pasta because the dish is the most elegant celebration pasta I know how to make and a twentieth birthday at twenty-eight weeks pregnant felt like a small celebration that wanted vodka sauce. Vodka sauce is a tomato-and-cream sauce with a quarter-cup of vodka simmered into it (the alcohol cooks off entirely; I had cleared the recipe with the OB at last week’s appointment).

Vodka Sauce Pasta

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti or penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup vodka
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. Boil the pasta. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
2. Build the base. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
3. Add the vodka. Pour in vodka and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it cook down for 2–3 minutes until most of the liquid has reduced.
4. Simmer the tomatoes. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
5. Add the cream. Reduce heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and butter until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes — do not boil once cream is added.
6. Combine and finish. Add drained pasta directly to the sauce and toss to coat. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Stir in Parmesan and toss again until glossy.
7. Serve. Plate immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and fresh basil. Serve with crusty bread for the table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 520 | Protein: 14g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 62g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 480mg