Home made vodka sauce with tortellini pasta

Yayyy... I did it. I finally made Vodka sauce at home. I have made marinara often but was nervous about Vodka sauce. Mainly cause I have never cooked with alcohol; I was worried about adding the right type, cooking it just enough so it blends without an aftertaste. Now this recipe is a keeper - atleast for me. The diced tomato adds a bite to the sauce and gives it some claws to stick to the pasta. If you like a smooth sauce just use tomato sauce. This recipe can be made with low fat cream as well but low fat creams are more sensitive to heat. They will curdle sooner if heated for long or reheated. A word about tortellini - the ones in the cold section of the supermarket are tastier but have a short shelf life. I like to keep a packet of dry tortellini in the pantry as it our favorite (read unhealthy) type of pasta and that is what I have used. So here is the recipe for the sauce - goodbye bottled sauce...

Ingredients:

Vodka sauce

1 28 oz tomato sauce can

1 16 oz diced tomato can

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion

3-4 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 cup heavy cream

2-3 tablespoons milk

1/3 cup vodka (I used Absolut)

Salt

Pepper

Pasta

I packet tortellini pasta (I used cheese and spinach)

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

Water

Salt

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. When heated add the onions and garlic and saute till onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes and vodka and bring to a boil on medium heat. Add the salt, pepper and spices cook for 3-5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add some water or milk. Taste the sauce, the tomatoes should be cooked and there should not be any raw vodka taste. If it is done, add the cream.  Else cook a little more and then add the cream. Simmer for a minute or two and the sauce is done. Serve with Pasta.

To prepare the pasta. Boil a large pot of water and when it comes to a rolling boil add the salt. Add pasta and boil till al dente as per package instructions. When done add to sauce and cook for a minute or two. Serve topped with some grated Parmesan.