Vodka Fior Di Latte, Vodka Sauce Recipe

Boil pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water (about 4–6 quarts) to a rolling boil. Add the penne and cook until just shy of al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package instructions). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside. Do not rinse.

When sauce is ready, add drained pasta to the sauce over low heat. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to achieve a glossy, silky consistency. Cook together 1–2 minutes so pasta finishes cooking in the sauce.

Remove from heat, tear basil leaves over the pasta, add fior di latte pieces and gently fold to distribute (the warm pasta and sauce will soften but not fully melt the cheese). Drizzle with a little olive oil, season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve immediately. Garnish with microgreens or extra basil if using.

Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. When butter foams and the oil shimmers, add the finely diced onion and a pinch of salt; sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 6–8 minutes (do not brown).

Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

Pour in 1 tbsp vodka and increase heat to medium-high for 1 minute to allow alcohol to deglaze the pan and reduce slightly (it will sizzle — take care). Scrape any browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon.

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the 14 oz tomato purée. Simmer gently for 6–8 minutes, uncovered, so the sauce thickens slightly and the raw tomato flavor mellows.

Stir in 1 tsp sugar (if using) and 1 tsp salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Slowly stir in 1 cup heavy cream until fully incorporated. Simmer over low heat 3–5 minutes until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Do not boil vigorously to prevent cream from breaking.

Off heat, whisk in 3 tbsp grated Parmesan until melted and the sauce turns a little silkier. If the sauce seems too thick, add reserved pasta water, 1–2 tbsp at a time, to loosen. Keep the sauce warm over the lowest heat while pasta cooks.

While sauce simmers and pasta cooks, drain the fior di latte and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Tear into bite-size pieces so it warms and softens quickly without releasing too much water into the sauce.

When combining pasta and sauce, fold in the torn fior di latte so it is distributed but not completely melted. The result should be pockets of creamy fresh mozzarella throughout the hot, silky vodka sauce.