Penne a la Vodka

A few months ago I was at a friend's house for a party and she served the most delicious pink pasta.  I never had pink pasta sauce.  What made it so delicious was bacon.   "mmmmmmmm...... bacon" said my inner Homer Simpson.

The pink pasta was penne a la vodka and it was from a restaurant in the not so near by area.

I decided I was going to make it at home rather than venturing out to the restaurant.  I didn't want to become addicted to this pasta and have to drive out there every time I was craving it.  

It is very obvious the ingredients that are in there so I started fooling around in the kitchen and I think my recipe tastes pretty close.  Maybe they use butter or don't drain some of the bacon fat, but I still think my version is pink and delicious! 

Jen over at Beantown Baker is doing her 3rd annual Power of Pink Challenge.  I am submitting this pink recipe to her pink challenge to acknowledge National Breast Cancer Awareness month and how important it is for women to get screened and to screen themselves for breast cancer.  

Printable Recipe

Penne a la Vodka- recipe by me- Serves 4

1 lb box penne pasta

4-6 slices bacon (depends if it is thick or thin)

1/2 medium yellow onion diced

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

3 cloves garlic smashed

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon salt

1 Tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use less if you don't want it spicy)

1/4 cup vodka

1 half pint heavy cream

Chop bacon into pieces and put into cold pan.  Turn on heat to medium high.  Cook bacon until crispy.  Take bacon out of the pan and lay on paper towel.  Drain off some of the bacon fat.  turn down the heat to medium and cook the chopped onion in the bacon fat.  Cook until the onions are transparent.  Toss in the garlic and red pepper flakes when the onions are almost done. Add vodka and scrape all the tasty bacon pieces off the bottom of the pan.  

Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt, black pepper and basil and bacon.  Cook the sauce on medium for about 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  I start my water on the stove to boil after I add the tomatoes.  When the water comes to a boil, liberally salt the water and add the penne.  Cook penne according to the instructions on the box.  While the pasta is cooking, start adding the heavy cream.  Add about half of the half pint and stir into the sauce.  Keep adding more until you get a nice pink sauce, you may not use the whole half pint.  Let the sauce thicken.  Drain the pasta and stir it into the sauce. Try not to eat all the bacon while you are cooking, or make an extra piece for snacking!!