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

Overview

Penne alla Vodka is a popular Italian-American pasta dish with a fascinating, contested origin story, which saw a massive viral resurgence in 2020. This video delves into its history, from its 1970s creation to its TikTok fame, and provides a detailed, authentic recipe for making it properly. Learn the precise techniques and ingredients for this glossy, blush-pink sauce that captivated billions of online views.

Ingredients

• 400 grams penne rigate
• 80 grams guanciale or thick-cut pancetta, cut into 0.5 centimetre lardons
• 80 grams one finely diced small white onion
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 200 grams high-quality double-concentrate tomato paste
• 100 millilitres premium clean grain or potato vodka
• 200 millilitres fresh heavy cream (35 percent fat)
• 80 grams finely microplaned Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged 24 months minimum
• Salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• Small pinch of dried peperoncino chilli flakes
• 20 fresh basilico leaves
• 4 litres water (for boiling pasta)
• 40 grams fine sea salt (for pasta water)

Instructions

1. Bring 4 litres of water to a boil in a large pot and salt it heavily with 40 grams of fine sea salt.
2. Put a large heavy-bottomed copper or stainless saute pan on medium-low heat. Add the guanciale lardons cold, without oil, and let them render slowly for 3 to 4 minutes until they are deep golden-brown and crisp on the edges; turn off the heat for 30 seconds if smoke appears.
3. Return to medium-low heat, add the 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 the minced garlic and the 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 until the brilliant red color deepens to a brick-red rust color and tomato fond begins to caramelise 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 a wooden spoon. Return to medium heat and let the vodka reduce for 90 seconds to 2 minutes until almost all evaporated.
7. Drop the 400 grams of penne rigate into the boiling salted water 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.
8. Reserve at least 300 millilitres of the starchy pasta water before draining the penne.

In this video

• Penne alla vodka is, by current measure, the most-cooked Italian-American pasta dish on the internet, with over four billion TikTok views since 2020 alone.
• The dish's origin is genuinely contested, with claims from both Italy and New York City in the 1970s, making it an Italian and American invention.
• The first published Italian recipe for pasta alla vodka appeared in 1974, written by the Italian actor Ugo Tognazzi, where he called it pasta all'infuriata.
• In 1978 at the SoHo Italian restaurant Orsini's, the Italian transplant chef Luigi Franzese began serving penne alla vodka as a regular menu item.
• Between roughly 1985 and 2015, penne alla vodka was considered deeply uncool in the American Italian-restaurant scene.
• The dish went viral in April 2020 after model Gigi Hadid posted her version on Instagram, leading to over four billion cumulative TikTok views by 2023.
• Toasting the double-concentrate tomato paste for 3-4 minutes until its brilliant red color deepens to a brick-red rust color is crucial for developing deep umami flavor through the Maillard reaction.
• Adding 100 millilitres of vodka to the toasted tomato paste off the heat and reducing it extracts alcohol-soluble flavor compounds from the tomato that water cannot.
• Salting the pasta water heavily, 10 grams of fine sea salt per litre, ensures the water tastes like the Mediterranean, seasoning the pasta from within.
• Guanciale or thick-cut pancetta lardons should be rendered slowly over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until deep golden-brown and crisp on the edges, without burning the fat.

Frequently asked questions

What is the origin of penne alla vodka?

The origin of penne alla vodka is debated, with documented versions appearing in both Italy and New York City during the 1970s. The Italian actor Ugo Tognazzi published a recipe in 1974, while chef Luigi Franzese popularized it in New York City starting in 1978.

Why did penne alla vodka become popular again?

Penne alla vodka experienced a massive resurgence in popularity after model Gigi Hadid posted her version on Instagram in April 2020. This post went viral, leading to over four billion cumulative TikTok views by 2023.

What kind of vodka should I use for penne alla vodka?

For penne alla vodka, use a clean grain or potato vodka like Belvedere or Ketel One, and avoid flavored varieties. The vodka extracts unique flavor compounds from the tomato during reduction.

How much pasta water should I reserve for penne alla vodka?

It is recommended to reserve at least 300 millilitres of the starchy pasta water before draining the penne. This 'liquid gold' is essential for emulsifying and finishing the sauce.

What is the secret to making an umami-rich penne alla vodka sauce?

A key secret to the sauce is toasting the 200 grams of double-concentrate tomato paste for 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat until it deepens to a brick-red rust color. This caramelizes sugars and develops deep umami flavor through the Maillard reaction.