Penne alla Vodka

---

Serves4 to 6

Cooking Time 3 to 4 hours on High

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Most recipes where raw pasta is tossed into the slow cooker are a huge letdown, resulting in pasta that’s mushy or blown out. We wanted to devise a way to take advantage of this convenient appliance to turn out both a flavorful sauce and tender pasta, for a complete dinner that was light on prep. Numerous tests and many pounds of pasta later, we discovered two keys to tender slow-cooked pasta. First, we “toasted” the raw pasta in the microwave in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes, which guaranteed our pasta didn’t become blown out in the slow cooker. Then, we combined the pasta with boiling water to jump-start the cooking process before adding the sauce. Placing a foil collar on one side of the slow cooker ensured that the pasta cooked through evenly. For a bright and tangy vodka sauce to accompany our pasta, we tried combining a variety of canned tomato products with vodka; a good dose of heavy cream ensured it was plenty rich. But when we stirred in more sauce at the end to liven up the dish, we were disappointed to find that it tasted one-dimensional and had a raw tomato flavor. Jarred marinara sauce, which is cooked, worked much better and offered long-simmered depth and complexity. Click here for more information on cooking pasta in the slow cooker and making a foil collar. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

1	pound penne
1	tablespoon olive oil
1	cup boiling water
2	(25-ounce) jars marinara sauce
	(6 cups)
¼	cup vodka
	Salt and pepper
	teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾	cup heavy cream
¼	cup chopped fresh basll

1. Line slow cooker with aluminum foil collar and spray with vegetable oil spray. Microwave penne and oil in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until some pieces look toasted and blistered, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer hot pasta to prepared slow cooker and immediately stir in boiling water (pasta will sizzle). Stir in 3½ cups marinara sauce, vodka, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and pepper flakes. Cover and cook until pasta is tender or 3 to 4 hours on high.

2. Remove foil collar. Gently stir in cream and remaining 2½ cups marinara sauce, adjusting sauce consistency with extra hot water as needed. Stir in basil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.