Pasta alla Vodka with Crisp Baby Capers and Basil
Pasta alla Vodka, Jaharn style. Last year Gigi Hadid broke the internet with her Pasta alla Vodka recipe and I can confirm - it's very, very good. Like lick your spoon and close your eyes kind of good. It's zingy, it's creamy, and it's oh so delicious.
What makes this pasta so good? Shallots and garlic have been softened down to infuse the olive oil it's been shallow fried in on a low and slow heat. Next up comes the tomato paste. It's fried like a curry paste with the garlic and shallots, until it's caramelised and darkened in colour. At that perfect moment, thick cream is poured into the pan with a splash of vodka and lashings of pasta water. The cream mellows the richness from the caramelised tomato paste, but the real hero is the vodka, which adds a zingy citrus element to the entire dish.
And it doesn't stop there. Dried chilli flakes are sprinkled into the sauce to bring another mouth watering flavour combination - the spice is needed and it takes the sauce to completely new heights. When the pasta is ready, the sauce is put ever so lightly back on the heat and a large knob of butter is added and whisked into the sauce until it's melted through, all for a final creamy kick.
Never will you see a sauce so gorgeous; the vodka and the butter add a lick of gloss that totally compliments this dish like nothing you've seen before. Garnished with basil leaves (and parmesan if you want a more enriched flavour), I decided to add another kick with crisp salty fried baby capers. To me, this punch of salt creates another rich layer of complexity that will leave you talking about this pasta for months to come. And best of all? It's super was to make and you'll no doubt already have all of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge.
Pasta alla Vodka with Crisp Capers and Basil
Servings
2
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Pasta Alla Vodka, Jaharn style.
Last year Gigi Hadid broke the internet with her Pasta alla Vodka recipe and I can confirm - it's very, very good. Like lick your spoon and close your eyes kind of good. It's zingy, it's creamy, and it's oh so delicious.
With softened shallots and garlic, tomato paste caramelised (like a curry paste), thick cream and pasta water, the hero of this dish is without a doubt the vodka and the butter. These ingredients combine to create a thick, glossy sauce that lovingly coats the pasta.
Finished with crisp baby capers, basil and parmesan - you'll forever be talking about this pasta for years to come.
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup (or 60ml) vodka
2 tsp red chilli flakes
50 grams salted butter
2 tbsp pasta water
Sea salt & cracked pepper, to season
Pasta, of your choice (for 2 people)
1/4 cup baby capers
1/4 cup garlic infused olive oil
Handful of basil leaves, chopped roughly
Parmesan, to garnish
Directions
In a large saucepan on low to medium heat, soften shallots and garlic in olive oil.
Turn heat up to medium, and add tomato paste. Fry tomato paste until it appears darker and caramelised.
Cook pasta as per instructions and strain when ready. Set aside 2 tbsp of pasta water.
Add the heavy cream into the tomato paste and whisk in gently until combined. Add vodka and past water. Whisk in gently until combined.
Add chilli flakes. Season with sea salt and cracked pepper to taste.
Take sauce off heat and add butter. Whisk in gently until combined.
Place garlic infused oil into a small pan on medium high. Strain and place baby capers into the oil. Fry until they turn dark. Strain excess oil and set aside.
Serve onto two plates. Garnish with fried baby capers and chopped basil. Sprinkle parmesan if desired.
An extra note:
If you don't want to use vodka, that's totally ok. Swap it with chicken stock or vegetable stock.
And if you don't love baby capers, leave them out. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice would be a great swap!
