Twenty years ago, nearly every Saturday night, my boyfriend and I would go to this Italian restaurant at 51st Street and Second Avenue for supper. It was cheap, by NYC standards. And I would almost always get the same things: Penne with Vodka Sauce.
But after eating it every week for six months, I eventually became repulsed by it.
And didn’t have it again… Till last Sunday.
I was flipping through Instagram posts for inspiration, and saw a beautiful bowl of the sauce over farfalle. And I found myself craving it.
No repulsion.
I thought about getting a jar of the pre-made sauce from Trader Joe’s. But I realized making it from scratch would be more comforting… Simmering on the stove, the ingredients I had gathered.
Plus, I had a bottle of vodka I bought in mid 2020 that was still quite full. And while I am dry for this quarter, I figured cooking with the spirit would be safe.
And because there seems to be a shortage of things lately, the only pasta I could find at Trader Joe’s that wasn’t long noodles was bucati… Which ended up holding the sauce perfectly.
It was a dreamy, slightly nostalgic, meal.
And easy AF to make.
Recipe from Bon Appetit.
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