members recipes

This recipe is easy, and especially nifty as you can play around with it as much as you want.

Ingredients
1 large onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove of garlic, either minced or whole according to taste

2x cans chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons double cream

1kg penne rigate or other short, ridged pasta

125ml vodka

4 tablespoons salted butter

parmesan for grating over at table

Method
Put a full kettle on to boil for the pasta later.

Finely chop onion. Heat oil in large pan, add onion and garlic. Fry gently for about 15 mins until onion starts to caramelise.

If you want meat in this dish, add some diced pancetta right about now. But it\'s just as good without.

Tip in cans of chopped tomatoes and continue to simmer for 15-20 mins. Add the boiling water and pasta to another large pan in sufficient time that it starts to cook 10 mins before the sauce will be finished.

If you\'ve timed it right, the sauce and the pasta should finish cooking at the same time. Take the sauce off the heat and stir in the cream. Drain the pasta, then add the butter and vodka. Add the pasta to the sauce, heat through and serve straight away with the parmesan.

You can also prepare the sauce in advance and refrigerate or freeze it, stopping before you add the cream.

I\'ve made several variations in this dish, but I\'ve not managed to nail down a dairy-free version yet...