When is it OK to cheat?

When it's with an Italian - 'ovviamente'. 

Sauces from La Favorita

My girlfriend Julie Brassard (see below), came over for dinner last week (a dinner that Franck made) - and, inspired by this blog, brought me sauces from La Grande Epicerie - which is, Paris' haute couture destination for food. I never go there. 
But that's besides the point...introducing products by La Favorita! The Anti-Chef (moi) suggests that you serve them in a bowl to accompany toast as an appetizer or as a sauce to accompany a pasta or meat dish. When your hubby compliments you and asks about the sauce, smile demurely and say, "Thanks amore, it's an old recipe from Nonna."  If you don't have a Nonna, say, "Thanks amore, it's an old recipe from Caterina's Nonna." (You can borrow mine, she's lovely). No one will know you are cheating, because everyone knows that Nonnas always have the best recipes.  

Julie: another beauty and great chef.  This woman however is not a cheater. A few years ago, we were both in Montreal for a big meeting and instead of afterwards ordering pizza, she came back to the office a few hours later with an exceptional dinner that she had prepared for everyone. All of a sudden the table cloth was laid and it was Thanksgiving in the middle of June. On a work night. Yes ladies. A work night. I was stunned and felt highly inadequate. Needless to say her hubby won't be looking elsewhere. 

Vodka Cream Sauce for Penne Pasta

                  

Parmeggiano cheese is obviously the best sprinkler for any pasta, but Franck said that it wasn't visible enough for the picture so he garnished it with Elemental grated French cheese. Tsk.

I love pasta. I grew up on the stuff. Mom knows how to make so many homemade sauces - and one of my favourites is pasta alla vongole (clam sauce) - but I've never tried cooking that.


Looking for an easy pasta sauce online, I came across Vodka Cream Sauce for Penne Pasta. Genius. Who doesn't like vodka? The ingredients were basic enough (meaning, I understood what they were):

Ingredients
butter (just a knife slice for the pan)
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
basil leaves
tomato purée
hot pepper flakes
soup spoon of sugar
several soup spoons of heavy cream
salt and pepper
2 shots of vodka (one per person, but I put 5 shots)
penne
*It says that you can also add chicken to this dish, but I of course, didn't take that option.

How to cook it:
Heat butter in a pan over a medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onion. I found that the butter was used up too quickly and that the garlic and onion were burning, so I added olive oil, yes I also thought to turn down the element, but it was an afterthought. Add tomato purée and then the basil leaves (I didn't bother cutting them and they look nicer and tasted better whole) and pepper flakes. After the tomato has simmered add a soup spoon of sugar to get the acidity out. Also add a bit of salt and pepper... add the vodka shots (go heavy). Then about 25 minutes into it, add the cream until the sauce is a nice pinky colour. Boil water, add penne - cook it 'Al Dente' for the love of all things holy, drain and voilà.

Add parmeggiano cheese, more basil to garnish and "Buon appetito baby".

This was dish was easy enough and tasted great.


I have to be honest. I didn't wear heels. I know, I'm disappointed too. But let me put it this way, Franck was lucky I even cooked that night. ;)
Pasta always puts me in a fantastic mood though - and it always appears to be the centrepiece for an incredible atmosphere. 

Kirk Douglas and Sofia Loren enjoying spaghetti

Marcello Mastroianni

Ancora la Loren

When The Recipe Calls for Two Shots - GIVER FIVE!

Tomorrow's blog post: Adding Vodka to your penne in red, Betty Boop heels. Stay tuned.
-the Anti-Chef