Penne with Vodka and Tomato Cream Sauce

Serves 4

1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 28-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup vodka
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
8-ounces penne pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Minced fresh chives

Brown sausage in a large, non-stick skillet until no longer pink. Set aside, keep warm.

In same skillet, melt butter with olive oil. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until almost no liquid remains in pan, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Add cream, vodka and red pepper and boil until thickened to desired consistency, about 2 minutes. Add sausage and chives to sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water. Drain and pour sauce over pasta, toss to coat. Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Served with a salad

Results: I forgot to take a picture of this pasta, but trust me, you'll want to make it! When the Sopranos was on TV, we used to go to our friend Keith's house every Sunday for a viewing party and someone would make a big Italian meal. This was Keith's menu and it has been one of our favorites ever since. I went through the trouble of giving the boys their pasta without sausage but neither of them would even touch it. Not even Henry. I really didn't care, because that left more for me, and the leftovers are fantastic. Too bad for you, ungrateful children!