Riga­toni alla Vod­ka (serves four)

Riga­toni alla Vodka
(serves four)

3/4 lb riga­toni pasta
1 large can peeled plum tomatoes
1 tbsp Ital­ian seasoning
3 tbsps butter
4 cloves gar­lic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 cup grat­ed parme­san or pecori­no cheese
salt to taste
fresh pep­per to taste
extra grat­ed parme­san for garnish

Bring water to boil in large pot and pour in pas­ta. You now have 11 min­utes to make your sauce. Pour toma­toes into food proces­sor with Ital­ian sea­son­ing and whizz until near­ly smooth, but leav­ing some nice toma­to bites. Melt but­ter in heavy stock­pot and saute gar­lic and onions until soft. Add vod­ka and cook over a high heat until the smell of alco­hol dis­ap­pears, about 4 min­utes, then add toma­toes, cream and 1/2 cup cheese, and stir thor­ough­ly. When pas­ta is done, toss it in the sauce before serv­ing, and sea­son with salt and pep­per. Top with grat­ed cheese.

And get an Advil for those aching muscles!