Penne Alla Vodka with Bacon

Chrysta

Perhaps its because I was raised in the Southern United States, or perhaps it’s because it’s so doggone good, but bacon is one of my favorite ingredients to cook AND bake with!

So, when I had a craving for pasta last year, I decided to make my favorite Penna alla Vodka recipe, but this time I spiked it with bacon.

The friends over on the Kiss My Bundt Facebook requested the recipe, and while I’m a week or so late, here it is!

Print Recipe

Penne Alla Vodka with Bacon Yum

Luscious tomato sauce with a hint of spice and a whole lotta bacon!

Cuisine

Dinner, Italian, Pasta

Prep Time

15

Cook Time

20

Servings

6 bowls

Ingredients

• 6 ounces bacon i like to get bacon straight from the butcher, since this has less water than the packaged stuff. Can also use pancetta.
• 1/2 white or brown onion
• 1.5 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flake
• 2 tsp granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound dry penne pasta
• 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp Fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Cuisine Dinner, Italian, Pasta Prep Time 15 Cook Time 20 Servings 6 bowls Ingredients 6 ounces bacon i like to get bacon straight from the butcher, since this has less water than the packaged stuff. Can also use pancetta. 1/2 white or brown onion 1.5 tbsp tomato paste 3 cloves garlic 1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes 1/2 tsp red pepper flake 2 tsp granulated white sugar 1 tsp kosher salt 1/3 cup vodka 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 pound dry penne pasta 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese 1 tbsp Fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Chop raw bacon into small pieces. Cook in dutch oven or deep sauté pan until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and remove all but 2 tbsp of the bacon fat.
   
   2. Over medium heat, add the chopped onions to the bacon fat and cook until browned, 5-7 minutes.
   
   3. Add tomato paste and garlic to the onions. Stir and cook 2-3 minutes.
   
   4. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes into the onions.
   
   5. Get this sauce DRUNK! Add vodka, stirring until combined. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
   6. Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream.
   
   7. Into a large pot of salted water, add penne pasta and cook until the paste is al dente, about 10 minutes. *you can boil the pasta while you make the sauce to save time.
   
   8. Before draining the pasta, remove 1/3 cup of the pasta water to use later to thicken the sauce as needed. Set aside.
   
   9. Strain the pasta from the water.
   
   10. Add the bacon to the sauce. Stir to combine.
   
   11. Stir the cooked pasta noodles into the sauce.
   
   12. Add 3 tbsp of pasta water to the sauce.
   
   13. Cook everything together for 2 more minutes, giving the sauce and the pasta time to get acquainted. *If the sauce is too thick to you, you can gradually add more pasta water, 1 tbsp at a time.
   
   14. To Serve the Pasta: Pour into a serving dish, and top with the freshly chopped parsley and the Parmesan cheese.
   
   
2. 

Recipe Notes

This recipe can be made vegetarian by cooking the onions in olive oil and omitting the bacon.  Instead of using the heavy cream, you can use a nut milk, but reduce to only using 1/4 cup.

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