Yeah, you read that title right!
Penne Alla Vodka Pizza is the result of me combing two of my favorite things in the entire world! If you know me, then you know that I get random intense cravings throughout the day. Today’s recipe is a result of just that! Penne Alla Vodka was the first recipe I ever made on my YouTube channel and is a regular in my house. We also love pizza, so combining them was the only reasonable thing to do, obviously!
Ingredients
- Kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 lb. penne pasta
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1⁄4 cup vodka
- 1 (28-oz.) can whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup parmesan, grated
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh oregano, for garnish
- 1 store-bought homemade ball of pizza dough
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 ball of fresh mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 550 degrees Fahrenheit with a large pizza stone on the middle rack.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over a high heat. Add in the penne and cook, stirring, until al dente, about 11 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the chile flakes and garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add in the vodka to the pan. To flambé, carefully light sauce with long-reach lighter and the flame will go out in about 30-45 seconds.
- Add in tomatoes and cook, stirring, until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender, blend the sauce until smooth, then pour back into the pan. Stir in the cream and cheese, season with salt and pepper, and stir until smooth. Drain pasta, and transfer to pan with sauce; toss pasta with sauce until evenly coated.
- Stretch out the pizza dough to 8 inches in diameter. Place on a floured pizza peel or baking sheet. Slide the round of dough onto the preheated pizza stone and cook for 4-5 minutes until the dough starts to brown slightly brown on the edges.
- Remove the dough from the oven using the pizza peel or baking sheet. Spoon the penne alla vodka onto the center of the par-cooked dough. Spread out the pasta and sauce to cover the entire top of the pizza, leaving a ½ inch crust around the edge of the pizza. Top with dollops of the ricotta and ripped pieces of the fresh mozzarella.
- Carefully slide the pizza back onto the pizza stone. Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until the dough is golden brown on top and the cheese is all melted and beginning to brown on some parts.
- Slice into 8 even pieces and serve immediately.
