Categories: Pasta

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 lb. penne rigate
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed or grated
• Salt
• A fat pinch crushed red pepper
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 1 cup vodka
• 1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved
• About 2 cups passata or tomato puree
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• About 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil, then reduce heat to low and keep warm.

2. In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the butter and let it melt into the oil. Add the pasta; cook, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 2-4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened a bit, 2-3 minutes. Season the pasta with salt and crushed red pepper and add the bay leaf. Add the vodka and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 to 2 cups stock, the cherry tomatoes and half the passata; stir until the liquid is greatly reduced but not dry, 5-6 minutes. Add the remaining stock, the remaining passata and the basil.

3. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is reduced and the pasta is al dente, adding water by the quarter cupful if the sauce reduces before the pasta is cooked, about 10 minutes more. Stir in about 1 cup cheese. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls, passing more cheese at the table.

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