* 8 ounces (half a box) of your favorite pasta, like farfalle, fusilli, or rigatoni * 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil * 1 small yellow onion, peeled, halved, and sliced into half-moons * 2 tablespoons butter * 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced * ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, more or less to taste * 2 tablespoons tomato paste * ⅓ cup vodka or white wine * ½ cup water, plus more as needed * ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped * 14.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained * ¼ cup heavy cream * Salt and pepper to taste * Fresh basil or parsley, optional, for serving * Freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional, for serving
**Cook the pasta:**
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a generous pinch of salt along with the pasta. Cook until 1–2 minutes shy of al dente. Scoop out ⅓ cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
**Prepare the sauce:**
1. Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Melt the butter into the onions. Once bubbly, add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. 3. Add the tomato paste and cook, mashing it into the onions, for 3–4 minutes until it begins to deepen in color and stick to the bottom of the pot. Be careful not to burn the garlic! 4. Pour in the vodka and bring the sauce to a boil. Stir in the water, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, adding water as needed if the liquid evaporates too quickly.
**Sauce the pasta:**
1. After the sauce finishes simmering, taste and just the seasonings to your preference. 2. Pour in the heavy cream and turn the heat to medium. As soon as the sauce bubbles, add the cooked pasta and toss to coat for 2 minutes. Next, add the pasta cooking water to loosen up the sauce to your preferences. Once the pasta is completely coated, turn off the heat. Taste and season once more.
**To serve:**
1. Spoon the pasta onto a serving platter and garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
odinhelicopter8
I have everything for this except the white wine… dinner tomorrow is set!!!
2 Comments
**Recipe here originally: [Chickpea and Pasta alla Vodka](https://newsletter.triedandtruerecipe.com/p/the-quintessential-i-dont-want-to)**
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2–3
* 8 ounces (half a box) of your favorite pasta, like farfalle, fusilli, or rigatoni
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
* 1 small yellow onion, peeled, halved, and sliced into half-moons
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
* ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, more or less to taste
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* ⅓ cup vodka or white wine
* ½ cup water, plus more as needed
* ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
* 14.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained
* ¼ cup heavy cream
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Fresh basil or parsley, optional, for serving
* Freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional, for serving
**Cook the pasta:**
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a generous pinch of salt along with the pasta. Cook until 1–2 minutes shy of al dente. Scoop out ⅓ cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.
**Prepare the sauce:**
1. Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Melt the butter into the onions. Once bubbly, add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook, mashing it into the onions, for 3–4 minutes until it begins to deepen in color and stick to the bottom of the pot. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
4. Pour in the vodka and bring the sauce to a boil. Stir in the water, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, adding water as needed if the liquid evaporates too quickly.
**Sauce the pasta:**
1. After the sauce finishes simmering, taste and just the seasonings to your preference.
2. Pour in the heavy cream and turn the heat to medium. As soon as the sauce bubbles, add the cooked pasta and toss to coat for 2 minutes. Next, add the pasta cooking water to loosen up the sauce to your preferences. Once the pasta is completely coated, turn off the heat. Taste and season once more.
**To serve:**
1. Spoon the pasta onto a serving platter and garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
I have everything for this except the white wine… dinner tomorrow is set!!!