Penne à la Vodka + Belgian Brownies
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 cup vodka
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
- Coarse salt and pepper
- 16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
- 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 – 64% cacao)
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
- 5 eggs, beaten lightly with a fork
- 1 1/3 cups superfine sugar
- 3 tablespoons pastry flour
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Preparation
Step 1
Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently sauté shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness.
Step 2
Add vodka to the pan, 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream, which will equal about 1 cup. Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes.
Step 3
Add chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it).
Step 5
Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta.
Step 6
Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves.
Step 7
Roughly chop the chocolate into pieces. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl and add the butter.
Step 8
Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, until the two ingredients have melted. Mix well and transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
Step 9
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Sift the sugar and flour together, then stir into the chocolate. Add the eggs and mix well. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. The batter will thicken as it stands.
Step 10
Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers. Spoon one-fourth cup batter into each paper-lined cup.
Step 11
Bake 30 to 35 minutes. The brownies will still be moist when done; they will puff up and fall slightly as they cool.
Step 12
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Chef's notes
The pasta dish has a fun name:
You Won’t Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta. It has been updated with a newer version called Rigatoni Alla Vodka on the Smitten Kitchen website.
For the Belgian brownies, there's a newer and easier version called Belgian Brownie Cakelets available on the same website.
