Penne alla Vodka for One

Steps

1. 1Bring a small pot of water to boil and salt generously. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
2. 2While your pasta boils, to a small pot, add olive oil and butter. Heat over medium heat until butter melts.
3. 3Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute, until garlic is lightly golden and aromatic.
4. 4Whisk in tomato paste and cook, whisking frequently, until tomato paste darkens in color and begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pot, 2 to 4 minutes.
5. 5Turn heat to low and add vodka (sauce will pop and sizzle when vodka hits the hot pan). Whisk, scraping any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pot, until vodka is incorporated into the sauce.
6. 6Whisk in the heavy cream. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and bring the sauce up to barely a simmer (do not allow the sauce to come to a full boil.) Adjust the temperature as needed to keep the sauce barely simmering and cook for 3 minutes.
7. 7When your pasta is almost done cooking, use a heat-proof measuring spoon to scoop out 2 tablespoons of pasta water and stir it into your sauce.
8. 8Taste and add salt as needed.
9. 9Once pasta is cooked, scoop out a little of the pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta or use a slotted spoon to transfer pasta from the water to the sauce. Stir until the pasta is well-coated and let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes for the sauce to thicken slightly. If the sauce thickens too much, add a little of the reserved pasta water back to the pasta until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
10. 10Serve, top with shredded parmesan if desired, and enjoy!