Penne alla vodka

italian-American pasta dish

Penne alla vodka is a pasta dish of penne in vodka sauce: a tomato and cream sauce with some vodka, and sometimes small pieces of meat and vegetables, such as sausage, pancetta or peas. Sometimes other pasta shapes are used. The vodka emulsifies the sauce and enhances flavor. While most of the alcohol evaporates during cooking, a very small amount may remain. The final dish contains minimal alcohol. It is usually topped with grated Parmesan cheese in amount as desired, as with ground pepper.