The idea of making fresh pasta and sauces can seem intimidating, but Odette Williams' new book, “Simple Pasta,” focuses on three simple and easy pasta doughs with delicious sauces that come together quickly.
She recently joined the show to share a magical recipe made with tomato paste and vodka!
Garganelli with Vodka Sauce
My daughter Opal once made a recipe for pasta vodka sauce that she found on the internet, put in too much vodka, and then didn’t cook it off. It was so strong that it ripped our heads off and made her brother Ned a hater. She has since learned about cooking off alcohol and has mastered my version of this crowd pleaser. Ned has come around, and we never have leftovers. Garganelli is a great shape for kids to make. If you don’t make your own pasta, use dried pasta on a weeknight, and this recipe will come together in a flash.
Makes 4 servings
Fresh pasta: 1 recipe Large-Batch Egg Dough, shaped into garganelli
Store-bought pasta: 1 pound dried garganelli or penne
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 small red Thai chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced, or 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1⁄4 cup vodka
- 3⁄4 cup heavy cream
- 1⁄2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for topping
- 1⁄3 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves, plus small leaves for topping
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
TIP
Omit the fresh chile and serve red pepper flakes on the side if you have little ones who are sensitive to spice.
DIRECTIONS:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- In a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat warm the olive oil. Add the shallot, garlic, and chile and sauté just until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook for another couple of minutes, then pour in the vodka and cook it off for a couple minutes more.
- Add the cream to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer for a couple of minutes. Lower the heat and keep the sauce warm.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes or according to package instructions if using store-bought. Using a large spider or slotted spoon, transfer the pasta into the warm sauce, along with 1⁄4 cup of the pasta water, and toss to coat. Stir in the Parmigiano and basil, then season with the salt.
- Serve the pasta topped with additional Parmigiano and small basil leaves.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Odette Williams is the Brooklyn-based, Australian cook and writer who is the author of "Simple Pasta."
A follow up to her popular debut cookbook "Simple Cake" (named one of the Best Cookbooks of 2019 by The New York Times, among other accolades), "Simple Pasta" showcases Odette’s signature style of bringing effortless and laid-back elegance to everyday cooking and entertaining, this time with pasta as the star of the show.
With praise from actor and bestselling author Stanley Tucci — who describes the book as “pasta deliciously portrayed in all its rustic elegance” — "Simple Pasta" offers endless possibilities for creating memorable, transporting meals with friends and family.
Odette, who as she admits in the book had never made pasta from scratch until she was 40 years old, accentuates the simplicity of the process in
"Simple Pasta," where she highlights just three base doughs that become the starting point for everything from Cacio e Pepe and Carbonara to new seasonal favorites like Beet and Carrot Agnolotti with Sage-Hazelnut Butter.
Of course, if you prefer (or just need the convenience of) store-bought pasta, that’s always an option too.
Peppered throughout the book are also recipes for side dishes, cocktails, mains, and desserts to inspire a complete multi-course killer meal and help each reader find their own “la dolce vita.”
Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest at 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.