Spicy Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce

One of the hottest restaurants in New York City is the famous Carbone Restaurant. It’s one of the most difficult spots to get into, and one of the most expensive places to dine at. One of their most famous dishes is their Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, otherwise known as Spicy Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce. Good news for you all is that there’s no need to make the trek to Carbone, as you can recreate this amazing meal at home for a fraction of the cost!

How to make Carbone’s Spicy Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce

This is a delightfully simple recipe to make at home, and for the most part follows the classic preparation of a Red Sauce Pasta dish. There are a few exceptions, however, when it comes to both the ingredients used and the techniques adopted

As far as ingredients, the usual suspects are involved in building a rich, Tomato-based sauce. Onions and Garlic are cooked down in Olive Oil before the Tomatoes are added and cooked until thickened, allowing the flavors to intensify

The one additional ingredient that is added at the same time as the Garlic is Calabrian Chilis. These amazing Chilis seem to be popping up everywhere these days, and are a favorite ingredient for many chefs across the country

The are spicy, yes, but combined with the remaining ingredients in this dish they mellow out, and add a beautiful smoky, slightly sweet flavor to the dish. There’s a hint of spice, enough to keep the dish interesting, without completely overpowering the sauce

The Sauce is then blended smooth

About halfway through the cooking process of the sauce is the second twist in the dish. The sauce is transferred out of the pan and into the blender when it’s blitzed until smooth. This technique doesn’t do anything to the flavor, but helps transform the dish from a rustic, everyday meal to a silky-smooth, restaurant quality dish

Once the Sauce is smooth it is returned to the pan where the remaining ingredients are added. This is the opportune time to begin cooking the Rigatoni, which is boiled in Salted water, but not cooked through completely

Cook the Pasta until it’s almost al-dente (so still quite chewy, but pliable) and then strain it from the water and set aside. Retain that Pasta Water, as the starchiness will help to thicken the sauce and create a wonderful, smooth consistency

At this point of the dish, we add Heavy Cream to the Sauce, along with the strained Pasta. Allowing the Pasta to cook in the Sauce for a few minutes will finish cooking it, as well as help combine everything in the pan into one, cohesive dish

The Vodka is added towards the end of the cooking and helps to produce a silky-smooth texture

One unique step with a Spicy Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce is that the Vodka is added near the end of cooking, only allowing enough time for the alcohol to burn off. The point of adding Vodka to the Sauce isn’t so much about flavor (by definition, Vodka is flavorless after all), but it is used to create a silky-smooth texture for the sauce

That beautiful smooth, slightly thick sauce texture in this dish is, in part, due to the inclusion of Vodka. You don’t need to add a whole lot, only ¼ cup in fact. Don’t worry, the alcohol will burn out of the Vodka as it cooks so there won’t be any actual alcohol in the sauce when its ready to serve. The burning flavor of the Vodka will also disappear, so there is no need to worry there!

Hopefully you’ve got some Vodka sitting around in the liquor cabinet or stuffed at the back of the freezer. You can head out and buy a shot-glass size portion of Vodka if needed for this recipe

Finishing the Spicy Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce

At this point the dish is almost done! We add a generous mountain of Parmesan Cheese (about ½ cups worth) and season the dish with Salt. Give the Sauce a taste and adjust the seasoning if required

The consistency should be silky-smooth at this point. If it’s still a little thick, or not sticking to the Pasta, try adding another ¼ cup of Pasta Water. Once you’re happy with the flavor and consistency it’s time to eat!

I like to sprinkle over some freshly chopped Chives along with some Finishing Salt right before serving. The Chives aren’t typically included in the Carbone version, but I like the fresh pop of color and vibrancy that Chives add to the dish. This Spicy Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce is a beautiful rendition of the famous recipe, and super-simple to make at home!

Spicy Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 500g / 17 oz. Dried Rigatoni
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Yellow Onion, finely diced
• 6 Garlic Cloves, finely diced
• 2 heaped tsp. Calabrian Chili
• 1/3 cup Tomato Paste
• 400g / 14 oz. Canned Tomatoes
• 1 cup of 6aHeavy Cream
• ¼ cup of Vodka
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
• 2 tsp. Chives, finely chopped
• Salt
  
  

Equipment needed: Blender

Instructions

1. Pour the Olive Oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once hot add the Onion and sauté for 10 minutes until tender
2. Add the Garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant then add the Calabrian Chili and stir through for a further minute
3. Stir through the Tomato Paste and then add the Canned Tomatoes and ¼ cup of Water. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
4. Remove from heat and mix in the Heavy Cream then pour the mixture into your blender. Once it has cooled slightly, blend until smooth then pour back into the saucepan
5. Cook Pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 6 minutes until slightly under al-dente (slightly chewy) Remove Pasta and set aside, but retain the Pasta Water
6. Place the sauce back over a medium heat then add the Vodka and stir in for about 2 minutes
7. Add Pasta to the Sauce, then add ¼ cup of Pasta Water at a time until you achieve a smooth consistency (you may need to add up to 1 cup of Pasta Water in total)
8. Stir through the Parmesan Cheese then add 1 tsp. of Salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Serve onto individual bowls and finish with freshly chopped Chives
   
   

Recipe Notes

• Adding the Chives is optional, but adds a nice color and freshness to the dish
• You can serve the dish with a side of additional Parmesan Cheese
  
  

We just know you’re going to love this version of Carbone’s famous Spicy Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce. The Calabrian Chilis and rich Garlic Tomato Sauce make for an amazing tasting Sauce. The techniques are simple, yet the flavors this dish produces are so complex and delicious

For more amazing restaurant-quality recipes, try out these fun recipes of ours:

• Braised Beef Cheeks with Pedro Ximenez
• Crispy Duck Leg with Cherry Sauce
• 10 Hour Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder
• Salmon Sashimi with Scallion Sauce
  
  

Happy Cooking!