The Food: Penne  a la Vodka

In all honesty, I am not sure what region this dish comes form, but I know it is not Sicilian.  Those concerned about cooking with vodka (for those who do not drink, nor care to) should keep in mind, that this can be made without the vodka, even though all the alcohol cooks out of it before it is served. This recipe is a moderation on basic marinara sauce, the only varying ingredients would be the shallots, the vodka, and the heavy cream, but the proceedure is basically the same:

INGREDIENTS
2-3 Cloves Garlic
1/2 or 1/4 Diced White Onion
2-3 Shallots
Heavy Cream
Vodka or Pepper Flavored Vodka
15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
Olive Oil, Fresh Basil Leaves, Salt, Pepper, Oregano

In a sauce pan, pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sautee the sliced shallots, garlic and diced oninons.  Continue to sautee until the onions become clearer in color and slightly yellowish (do not burn!).  Add about a half cup of vodka and allow to cook out all the alcohol.  Add the can of tomatoes, and stir every few minutes.  Add in seasonings such as oregano, salt, pepper and/or some fresh basil leaves and then add in a quarter cup of heavy cream.  The sauce should look pinkish (add less cream if you like, or a little bit more, but not too much as it should only taste slightly creamy, not like the cream itself).  This sauce should be ready in 20-30 minutes.  This is  best served with penne rigatte.  This recipe should be able to serve at least 4.

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