Remember when I told you I could be Italian? Well, my family proved me right again! My sister caught an episode of the Today show with vegan chef and baker (and winner of Cupcake Wars!) Chloe Coscarelli. On it she shared her recipe for Penne alla Vodka, vegan style so an email from my mom with the recipe quickly followed. I had every intention of making this last night, but preparing for the 40th birthday party I am throwing for my husband tonight got in the way (and vegan pasta was not high on his list of requests...) In the meantime, I thought the least I could do was share it with all of you! I hope your new year is off to a fabulous and healthy start :-)
Recipe: Penne alla vodka
Chloe Coscarelli
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne or gluten-free alternative
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, plus extra for chiffonade garnish
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup vodka
- 1/4 cup raw cashews*
- 1 cup water
Preparation
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vodka and cook 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
In the meantime, combine cashews and water in a blender. Process on high until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir cashew cream into the tomato sauce and turn off heat. Adjust seasoning to taste and toss with hot pasta. Garnish with basil and serve immediately.
*If you are not using a high-powered blender, soak cashews overnight or boil cashews for 10 minutes and drain. This will soften the cashews and ensure a silky smooth cream.
Serving Size
Serves 4 to 6
