Penne alla Vodka — The 1970s Italian-American Pink-Sauce Pasta That Went Four-Billion-View Viral in 2020

Overview

This video delves into the captivating history, cultural significance, and proper preparation of Penne alla Vodka, exploring its origins in the 1970s and its resurgence to viral fame in 2020. It covers the contested Italian-American invention of the dish and provides a master chef's technique for creating the perfect glossy, blush-pink sauce. The key takeaway is a detailed guide to crafting this iconic pasta, balancing tomato, vodka, and cream for an umami-rich experience.

Ingredients

• 400 grams of penne rigate
• 80 grams of guanciale or thick-cut pancetta, cut into small lardons of 0.5 centimetre
• 80 grams of one finely diced small white onion
• 2 cloves of fresh garlic minced
• 200 grams of high-quality double-concentrate tomato paste
• 100 millilitres of premium vodka
• 200 millilitres of fresh heavy cream (35% fat)
• 80 grams of finely microplaned Parmigiano-Reggiano aged 24 months minimum
• Salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• A small pinch of dried peperoncino chilli flakes
• 20 fresh basilico leaves

Instructions

1. Bring 4 litres of water to boil in a large pot for 400 grams of pasta, and salt it heavily with 40 grams of fine sea salt (10 grams per litre).
2. Place a large heavy-bottomed saute pan on medium-low heat. Add 80 grams of guanciale lardons cold, and render slowly for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden-brown and crisp on the edges, ensuring the fat does not burn. Turn off the heat for 30 seconds if smoke appears.
3. Return to medium-low heat, add 80 grams of diced onion to the rendered pork fat, and sweat gently for 4 to 5 minutes until completely translucent and soft but not browned.
4. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and a small pinch of peperoncino chilli flakes. Cook for 30 seconds only.
5. Add the entire 200 grams of double-concentrate tomato paste to the pan with the soffritto. Lower heat to medium-low and toast for 3 to 4 full minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the brilliant red color deepens to a brick-red rust color and tomato fond begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pan.
6. Pull the pan off the heat, then add 100 millilitres of vodka all at once, scraping every bit of fond off the bottom with the wooden spoon. Return to medium heat and let the vodka reduce for 90 seconds to 2 minutes until almost all evaporated.
7. Drop 400 grams of penne rigate into the boiling salted water exactly when the tomato paste begins to toast. Cook for 8 to 9 minutes for true al dente, checking the package time and subtracting 60 seconds to finish the pasta in the sauce.
8. Reserve at least 300 millilitres of the starchy pasta water before draining.

In this video

• Penne alla Vodka is currently the most-cooked Italian-American pasta dish on the internet, with over 4 billion TikTok views since 2020 alone.
• The dish's origin is fiercely disputed, with both Italians and Americans claiming its invention in the late 1970s.
• The first published Italian recipe for pasta alla vodka appeared in 1974 by Italian actor and gourmand Ugo Tognazzi, titled pasta all'infuriata.
• In 1978, Italian transplant chef Luigi Franzese began serving penne alla vodka as a regular menu item at Orsini's restaurant in New York City.
• Between 1985 and 2015, penne alla vodka was considered deeply uncool until model Gigi Hadid's Instagram post in April 2020 made it virally popular again.
• The technique for the sauce involves slowly rendering guanciale, sweating onions until translucent, and toasting tomato paste to deepen its flavor.
• Adding vodka to the toasted tomato paste helps extract alcohol-soluble flavor compounds from the tomato that water cannot.
• Salting the pasta water heavily, 10 grams per liter, is crucial for achieving the proper taste for the pasta, mimicking the Mediterranean Sea.
• Toasting double-concentrate tomato paste for 3-4 minutes until it turns brick-red and caramelizes is a secret to the sauce's deep umami flavor.
• Cooking the penne rigate al dente and finishing it in the sauce with reserved starchy pasta water is essential for optimal texture and emulsification.

Frequently asked questions

When was Penne alla Vodka invented?

Penne alla Vodka was invented in the late 1970s, with claims from both Italy and the United States around 1973-1978.

Why is Penne alla Vodka called 'pink sauce pasta'?

The dish is called 'pink sauce pasta' because it arrives glossy and blush-pink, a color somewhere between salmon and rose, due to the combination of tomato paste and heavy cream.

Why did Penne alla Vodka become so popular in 2020?

In April 2020, model Gigi Hadid posted her version of penne alla vodka on Instagram, which went viral and led to billions of views on social media platforms like TikTok.

What kind of vodka should be used for Penne alla Vodka?

A clean grain or potato vodka like Belvedere or Ketel One is recommended, not flavored vodka, as it effectively extracts flavor compounds from the tomato.

What is the secret to a great Penne alla Vodka sauce?

A key secret is toasting the double-concentrate tomato paste for 3-4 minutes until it deepens to a brick-red color, allowing the Maillard reaction to create deep umami flavors.