While creating this vodka sauce recipe, Dan “Grossy” Pelosi won over the hearts of New Yorkers and the world of social media with his teddy-bear like charm and branded “This Too Shall Pasta” apparel. His online recipe collection is an ode to his Italian and Portuguese upbringing, a melange of dishes he grew up eating and riffs on ones that he has made his own. His vodka sauce, or Vodka “Sawce” in Grossy-speak, leans on the latter, a creamy, tomato-based concoction that has taken the social media world by storm. When Grossy isn't busy teaching “Sawce” classes, you may find him enjoying this dish, and now we can too!
Grossy's Vodka Sawce is a perfect accompaniment to pasta.
Grossy's Vodka Sawce
Ingredients
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, grated
Red pepper flakes (optional)
6 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pint (two cups) heavy cream*
6 tablespoons vodka**
1 lb. rigatoni or other pasta
Grated Parmigiano or Pecorino
Method
Over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter, red pepper flakes (optional), and 8 tablespoons olive oil together in a saucepan.
Add grated garlic and 6 tablespoons tomato paste. Whisk until fragrant. At the same time, boil pasta in salty water.
Whisk 2 cups heavy cream into the sauce for 5-6 minutes until darkened.
Add 6 tablespoons vodka and whisk another 5-6 minutes, until the alcohol is completely cooked out.
Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Add ½ cup pasta water to the sawce and whisk until inappropriately thick, adding more pasta water to loosen if necessary. Sauce may take up to 20 minutes to get thick enough, and it is absolutely worth the wait.
Add pasta to the sauce and stir until coated and glossy.
Serve with grated Parmigiano or Pecorino.
Vodka Sawce is not the easiest to reheat, so, two things:
1. Save that other ½ cup pasta water for leftover reheating. When the time comes, put your leftover sauced pasta in a pan, add a little pasta water and bring it back to life over heat. The pasta water will bring it all back together because it will separate!
2. If you are planning to eat less than a full pound of pasta and sauce (IDK who you are but okay), halve the recipe or make the full sawce recipe, put half of the sawce in a container, and only cook a ½ lb of pasta. When you're ready for your next meal, reheat the leftover sauce in a pan with a little pasta water and add freshly cooked pasta for your second meal.
If you want to add meat or fish to your pasta, I recommend cooking the meat or fish separately and serving it alongside or on top of the pasta. Do not cook the meat in the sauce.
If you want to add vegetables to your pasta, I recommend cooking vegetables separately and serving it alongside or on top of the pasta. Do not cook the vegetables in the sauce.
*Cashew cream or coconut milk are great substitutions for heavy cream.
**If you want to make this sawce without vodka, I do not have a recommendation for you. We are making VODKA sawce, honey!