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Penne alla Vodka

United States · No.42 / 103

Penne alla Vodka

Penne alla Vodka, 4 ways

A pink-sauced pasta made with tomato, cream and vodka. The Italian-origin theory and the New York Italian-restaurant-origin theory still compete, and the forks between schools are the type of pork used (pancetta, guanciale, prosciutto, or none), whether cheese and chili are used, and when the cream goes in.

Vincenzo's Plate Not Another Cooking Show Joshua Weissman GialloZafferano
25 min · Difficulty ●●○○○ · 4videos

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Vincenzo's PlateItalian-born, Sydney-based YouTube channel Source verified

No garlic; pancetta and cream added sparingly

  • One of two garlic-free approaches here, and the only one that states a reason: "the pancetta is already seasoned with garlic and spices, so it's not needed"
  • Crushes the canned tomatoes by hand or with a masher rather than a blender or food mill, insisting on a gentle touch
  • The cream is fixed at 200g on the ingredient list, but the amount actually added is judged by sight - "until the sauce turns pink"
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In the chef’s words
  • You do not need garlic in this recipe since the pancetta is seasoned with garlic and other spices which add extra flavor to the penne alla vodka sauce source
  • Basil is optional but (as you know) it's my personal favourite! The aroma literally transforms the entire dish to a superior level. source

References: [1]

Not Another Cooking ShowSelf-taught chef in New York, running a YouTube channel Partly unverified

Prosciutto instead of pancetta, vodka added in two stages, finished with a butter mount

  • The only approach here that uses prosciutto instead of pancetta or guanciale, and also offers a meatless alternative
  • Handles the vodka in two stages - added off the heat, then reduced after returning to the heat (the source gives no reason for this)
  • Finishes by melting cold butter into the sauce for body and sheen (the source only says "drop in 1-2 tablespoons of cold butter")
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In the chef’s words
  • The key is to try and time it so that you add the garlic at the perfect time to allow for it to cook and not burn and for the prosciutto to get crisp. source
  • I like a lot of sauce for this pasta so I recommend making extra, but this recipe will satisfy 1 lb of pasta with just enough sauce. source

References: [1]

Joshua WeissmanFormer restaurant cook, YouTube channel (author of multiple books) Source verified

Guanciale plus gochujang, vodka limited to 1 tablespoon for deglazing

  • The only approach that adds Korean-inflected umami and heat via guanciale plus gochujang plus tomato paste
  • Uses just 1 tablespoon of vodka, limited to deglazing the browned bits off the bottom of the pan rather than flavoring
  • Finishes off the heat by vigorously mixing in pecorino and cold butter, a deliberately emulsion-focused finish (mantecatura)
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In the chef’s words
  • The key to Joshua Weissman's spicy vodka pasta recipe is breaking the rules with a fat dollop of spicy, salty and sweet gochujang. source

References: [1]

GialloZafferanoItaly's largest recipe media outlet (founded 2006, now under Mondadori) Partly unverified

Onion and smoked pancetta only, no cheese, no chili - the leanest build

  • The only one of these four approaches that uses no cheese at all - the plain, home-cooking core of the Italian dish
  • Uses neither garlic nor chili - just onion, pancetta, tomato, cream and vodka, the leanest possible build
  • Backed by structured recipe data (schema.org Recipe) on the official site, with amounts and times spelled out for easy cross-checking as a primary source
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In the chef’s words
  • Penne alla vodka is an iconic 1980s pasta dish: cream, tomato, and bacon for a simple and creamy sauce! source

References: [1]

Compared on 10 axes

Figures are transcribed as written in each video or recipe page

AXIS Vincenzo's Plate Not Another Cooking Show Joshua Weissman GialloZafferano
Pasta, portion, cooking 300g penne rigate (serves 2), 5L water454g (1lb) penne454g rigatoni (dried or homemade)320g penne rigate (serves 4)
Type and handling of pork 200g pancetta/bacon, cut into strips with the fat left onAbout 113g prosciutto (can be omitted)114g guanciale, cut into 3mm cubes200g smoked pancetta, cubed
Garlic: whether used None (the pancetta's seasoning is deemed enough)3 sliced cloves, added the moment the prosciutto turns crisp5 sliced clovesNone (onion alone)
Chili/heat Not mentioned1 tsp red pepper flakes2 red Fresno chilies plus 3 tbsp gochujangNot mentioned
Type and prep of tomato 2 cans (800g) whole peeled tomatoes, gently hand-crushed1 can whole peeled tomatoes, pureed in a food mill/blender1 cup (256g) tomato paste1 cup (250g) tomato puree
Amount and timing of vodka 100mL, simmered 2-3 minutes in the pancetta pan3-4 tbsp, added off heat, then reduced after returning to heat - a two-stage approach1 tbsp, used with water only for deglazing120g (4.25oz), cooked over medium heat until the alcohol evaporates
Amount and timing of cream 200g cooking cream, added gradually until the sauce turns pink3/4 cup, added after the tomato has fully reduced1.5 cups heavy cream, added after the paste is reduced, simmered 1-2 minutes0.67 cup (150g) heavy cream, added after the tomato simmers 10 minutes
Cheese 3 tbsp pecorino romano, finishing only1/2 cup parmesan, finishing3/4 cup pecorino, emulsified off heat with butterNone
Finish Toss with half a mug of pasta water, sprinkle pecorinoMelt in 1-2 tbsp cold butter, parsleyMantecatura with 2 tbsp cold butter, parmigiano, black pepperChopped parsley only
Time About 20 minutesNot specifiedAbout 30 minutes25 minutes (5 min prep + 20 min cook)
Source check Source verifiedPartly unverifiedSource verifiedPartly unverified
Vincenzo's Plate No garlic; pancetta and cream added sparingly
Pasta, portion, cooking
300g penne rigate (serves 2), 5L water
Type and handling of pork
200g pancetta/bacon, cut into strips with the fat left on
Garlic: whether used
None (the pancetta's seasoning is deemed enough)
Chili/heat
Not mentioned
Type and prep of tomato
2 cans (800g) whole peeled tomatoes, gently hand-crushed
Amount and timing of vodka
100mL, simmered 2-3 minutes in the pancetta pan
Amount and timing of cream
200g cooking cream, added gradually until the sauce turns pink
Cheese
3 tbsp pecorino romano, finishing only
Finish
Toss with half a mug of pasta water, sprinkle pecorino
Time
About 20 minutes
Source
Source verified
Not Another Cooking Show Prosciutto instead of pancetta, vodka added in two stages, finished with a butter mount
Pasta, portion, cooking
454g (1lb) penne
Type and handling of pork
About 113g prosciutto (can be omitted)
Garlic: whether used
3 sliced cloves, added the moment the prosciutto turns crisp
Chili/heat
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Type and prep of tomato
1 can whole peeled tomatoes, pureed in a food mill/blender
Amount and timing of vodka
3-4 tbsp, added off heat, then reduced after returning to heat - a two-stage approach
Amount and timing of cream
3/4 cup, added after the tomato has fully reduced
Cheese
1/2 cup parmesan, finishing
Finish
Melt in 1-2 tbsp cold butter, parsley
Time
Not specified
Source
Partly unverified
Joshua Weissman Guanciale plus gochujang, vodka limited to 1 tablespoon for deglazing
Pasta, portion, cooking
454g rigatoni (dried or homemade)
Type and handling of pork
114g guanciale, cut into 3mm cubes
Garlic: whether used
5 sliced cloves
Chili/heat
2 red Fresno chilies plus 3 tbsp gochujang
Type and prep of tomato
1 cup (256g) tomato paste
Amount and timing of vodka
1 tbsp, used with water only for deglazing
Amount and timing of cream
1.5 cups heavy cream, added after the paste is reduced, simmered 1-2 minutes
Cheese
3/4 cup pecorino, emulsified off heat with butter
Finish
Mantecatura with 2 tbsp cold butter, parmigiano, black pepper
Time
About 30 minutes
Source
Source verified
GialloZafferano Onion and smoked pancetta only, no cheese, no chili - the leanest build
Pasta, portion, cooking
320g penne rigate (serves 4)
Type and handling of pork
200g smoked pancetta, cubed
Garlic: whether used
None (onion alone)
Chili/heat
Not mentioned
Type and prep of tomato
1 cup (250g) tomato puree
Amount and timing of vodka
120g (4.25oz), cooked over medium heat until the alcohol evaporates
Amount and timing of cream
0.67 cup (150g) heavy cream, added after the tomato simmers 10 minutes
Cheese
None
Finish
Chopped parsley only
Time
25 minutes (5 min prep + 20 min cook)
Source
Partly unverified

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1 Pasta & boiling Brand, thickness, salt, water volume, cooking time
2 Base Fat and the main ingredient: rendering, infusing
3 Sauce & emulsion Where you toss, heat level, how much pasta water
4 Finish Cheese, pepper, finishing oil, plating

The map of schools: where the heat is managed

For Penne alla Vodka, the fork in the road is how you emulsify and heat

Toss over direct heat

The pan stays on the flame and your hands manage the temperature. Fast, but it takes feel.

Indirect heat

Bain-marie, steam, double boiler or a hand blender. Repeatable, at the cost of one extra step.

  • No styles here

Off the heat

Emulsify after killing the flame, or in a bowl with only the pasta’s residual heat. Hard to get wrong.

  • No styles here
Total timeActual values from 3 styles. Equal values stack vertically
18.8 min21.9 min25 min28.1 min31.2 minVincenzo's Plate: About 20 minutesVPGialloZafferano: 25 minutes (5 min prep + 20 min cook)GJoshua Weissman: About 30 minutesJW
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