Penne Alla Vodka ©

INGREDIENTS   

1 medium onion sliced into rings

3 small dried red chili

3 tbs olive oil

2-3 tbs Vodka

400g tin chopped tomatoes, or freshly grated, skins removed

200g carton of Greek thick Yogurt (‘Fage Total’)

250g ‘De Cecco” Penne Rigate No. 41.

1.5 tsp salt for sauce

1 tsp salt for pasta water

Sprig of basil for decoration

METHOD

1. Put large saucepan of salted water on to boil for pasta. Place serving dish and plates in oven to warm. 50.C.

2. Peel and slice medium onion into rings, place in saucepan together with olive oil and 3 dried chili peppers.

3. Fry until just turning color. Now with “great care,” and  holding saucepan lid in left hand add Vodka. Place lid very quickly back on as the Vodka WILL make the oil splutter! This is a quick action,” in with the Vodka, on with the lid.”  Cook rapidly for 2-3 minutes, until alcohol has evaporated. Add tomatoes and  1.5 tsp salt and leave to simmer gently for at least 15 mins. Remove from heat and leave with lid off to slightly cool before adding yogurt. ( 2 minutes)

4.When  water is boiling add pasta and cook until “al dente”. 8-10 minutes.

5.Drain pasta and place in warmed serving dish. REMOVE  3 chillies from sauce and add yogurt. Mix  sauce in with pasta, serve straight away  on heated plates.

This is quick and just the thing for a Sunday evening, when the fridge is empty!

IMPORTANT :  LESSON ON FIRE PRECAUTIONS :

Always keep a fire blanket in your kitchen! Always fry with a saucepan lid next to the stove, especially when adding alcohol. Never leave oil, once you start heating it and if it gets so hot that it is smoking, the next thing that will happen is it will catch fire, so remove it immediately and leave to cool down. Fire with out oxygen goes out. A properly fitting saucepan lid starves the fire of oxygen straight away and thus puts the fire out. Always remove saucepan off the heat, and turn hot-plate or gas OFF.

These notes all cooks need to know about, I have given myself a fright twice in my cooking career and I was so relieved to know exactly what to do. A friend telephoning is fatal ! Ha though portable phones or mobiles do help ! Like when driving, you need to keep fully focused when cooking.

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