Vodka Pasta

As a pasta lover, I love making this recipe. It is very simple and makes you feel like a real chef. The shape of the pasta makes a world of difference.

Ingredients

{add to taste} Kosher Salt
1 pound Rigatoni or (Penne Pasta)
4 ounces Pancetta (diced, optional)
1 Medium Yellow Onion (finely chopped)
2 Garlic Clove (finely chopped)
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
{add to taste} Black Pepper (freshly ground)
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 tablespoon Fresh Oregano (roughly chopped)
2 tablespoons Italian Parsley (roughly chopped)

Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water). Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

Step 2

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Heat the oil in a deep 12-inch skillet or pot over medium. Add the pancetta, if using, and fry until crispy, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, add the vodka and cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in the tomatoes and then fill the can halfway with water and swish it around to loosen up any leftover tomatoes; add a quarter to half of the water to the pan. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 10 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. If you prefer your sauce a little looser, go ahead and add the remaining water and simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Reduce heat to low, add the cream and cook, stirring, until the sauce becomes an even pinkish-rust color, about 1 minute.

Step 4

Stir in the cooked pasta and ΒΌ cup cheese; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, top with additional cheese, if desired, and sprinkle with the oregano and parsley.

Images

vodka pasta cover adding in the tomato paste overview of vodka pasta recipe steps

Design Inspiration

Recipe Websites
  • Serious Eats - I like the layout of the recipe page and the color scheme used throughout the website
  • Food Network - The Food Network is widely known and used. Even though they have ads on their webpage, the ads don't disrupt the users readibility of the content on the page. I also like the layout used on each individual recipe page.
  • Mangia with Nonna - I like the contrast that occurs between the colors in the logo. However, I do think that the logo is slightly too big. I also think that the website could benefit from a button that sends users directly to the recipe without having to scroll through all the content.
Non Recipe Websites
  • Azza Khofi (dribbble artist) - I like this design because it deviates from the normal format of recipe websites
  • Ahmad Afandi (dribbble artist) - Similar to the example above, this dribbble artist reimagines the layout of a recipe website. This layout helps for easier readibility.
  • It's Nice That - This website encorporates a sticky scroll on the left side that I think will be useful when it comes to adding the recipe instructions along with the picture associated with that step. I also like the minimalistic design.