Penne a la Vodka

ingredients

1 pound hot Italian sausage
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh tomato sauce
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs. basil, minced
1/4 tsp. red chili pepper flakes
3.4 lb. Penne pasta
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Shape sausage into 1" balls. Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer pan to oven to continue cooking until sausage is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove sausage and all but 1 Tbs. of oil from pan. Add onion & garlic & cook over medium-high heat until onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce & return sausage to pan. Bring mixture to a simmer & reduce to low heat. Stir in vodka, cream basil, & chili pepper flakes. Cook pasta in boiling water until tender. Drain pasta & add to sauce, stirring to evenly coat. Garnish with Parmesan cheese & serve.

Source: Nicole