PENNE ALLA VODKA - AN AUTHENTIC VODKA SAUCE RECIPE

This authentic vodka sauce recipe is one of my all-time favorite pasta dishes and one of my most frequently asked for. People just love it, especially in the winter when the warmth and spiciness of this dish balance out the weather outside. Jam-packed full of carbs and comfort this dish definitely gives you the energy your body needs to stay warm all year round. All that aside though, it is a classic Italian vodka sauce recipe you can easily tweak to your desired spice level! First time cooking with vodka? Don’t worry, all alcohol in the vodka does evaporate during the cooking process while the vodka helps detach all the juicy pork flavor from the bottom of the skillet to ensure the most flavorful sauce you can possibly get! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

SERVES 4-5
10 Min Prep, 50 min Cooking Time

1 Pack of Penne Pasta (Usually feeds 4-5)
1-1.5 650ml Bottles of Tomato Sauce (basic Pomodoro or tomato & basil)
1 TBSP of Butter (Salted
1 Cup of Vodka
200-300grams Of Pancetta or Black Forest Ham (chopped finely - almost minced)
1 TSP of Chili Flakes (optional)
1 Medium box of 35% Whipping cream
Parmesan Cheese (1 Cup Shaved and 1 Cup for garnish)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Baguette (optional)

HERE ARE SOME OTHER PASTA RECIPES YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY!

DIRECTIONS:

Melt the butter down in a deep skillet on medium heat. Once the butter is melted and hot add in the chunks of pancetta or minced ham, tossing it in the butter and allowing it to cook until it becomes crispy.

Once the pancetta or ham is crispy add in your cup of vodka. It will create some more heat and steam but don't worry all the alcohol will burn out. This helps all the flavor from the ham that stuck to the bottom of the skillet to be transferred back into the flavors of the sauce later. Scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to help them along. Let this cook down until there is only a little bit of moisture left. Take your time.

Next, add in the tomato sauce (whether homemade or bought from the store you want the most basic Pomodoro kind). This will add in a lot of liquid to your sauce so make sure you boil this down as well so that a lot of the water evaporates and you are left with a nice thick sauce. About 20-30 minutes.

If you want your sauce to be a little bit spicy add in your chili peppers now and let them cook into your sauce. Sprinkle and stir. You can also add in some Salt and Pepper now to your taste.

Next, add in your cream. First, about a 1/2 cup stirring the whole time than a 1/4 cup until you get the perfect red/orange color. You can taste it as you go to see if you want more cream. To help thicken the sauce up shave about a cup of parmesan down and add it into the sauce, stir it in. Let the water cook out of this while you start cooking the penne pasta in a pot. Some people also like to use a hand blender and blend the sauce at this point so that the small bits of pancetta/ham become undetectable and the sauce is extra smooth in texture.

Boil water for the pasta adding about 1-1.5 TBSP of salt to the water once it boils. Add in pasta and let it cook till it is al dente.

Now you should be ready to serve the sauce with the pasta. You can either mix it together or spoon some sauce on top of a plate of pasta. Garnish with more parmesan cheese and a slice of baguette.

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The first of many interior design decisions to come! Now that we are half way through the last phase of our interior renovations (the basement) I am getting really excited about shifting my focus from renoing our Toronto Victorian home to styling a
No more scary basement! 🏡 Here is a little before and after of our basement underpin by @icy.reno We went from 6 foot ceilings to just under 8.5 and installed new drains, waterproofing and a radiant floor! DYK that doing an underpin and finishing

I hope you enjoy this authentic penne alla vodka sauce recipe as much as I do! Please let me know your thoughts and comments below I’d love to hear from you! Happy cooking :)

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MUSSELS ARRABBIATA (SPICY TOMATO SAUCE)

One thing my brother-in-law and I have in common is our love for all-you-can eat mussels. When it comes to who can put down more bowls of mussels, I’ve got some stiff competition. Almost every time I go to visit him we always go to this restaurant that runs a ‘bottomless mussels’ special on Tuesdays and when they see us walk in they know, IT’S GOING DOWN!

The last time I visited though, I suggested trying our hand at making mussels at home. At the time I had also been craving something with a spicy arrabbiata sauce and I thought the flavors would pair really nicely with mussels (very similar to mussels marinara). So why not hit two birds with one stone!? Dinner that night came together beautifully, and I loved how well my new mussel recipe turned out. Needless to say, there were ZERO leftovers and being a self-proclaimed ‘mussel connoisseur’ I’m definitely giving myself a pat-on-the-back for this one!

To all my seafood lovers out there, this one is for you!

Buon Appetito!

INGREDIENTS:

 Serves 2 People

-Seafood-
4 lbs of fresh mussels – rinse, scrub and debeard. (I usually buy extra because I know that some are going to be bad)

How to buy, store, and prep fresh mussels:

When buying fresh mussels, make sure to smell them - they SHOULD NOT have a strong odor! You also want the shells to be shut. Since mussels are alive if you bang the shells or apply pressure and close them yourself, if they are indeed alive, they should shut or remain shut. If they open once again right away it means that they are weak/not fresh, so don’t buy those. Make sure to store your mussels in the fridge, they need air to breathe so don’t use a sealed container, instead place a damp cloth over them like a napkin or paper towel to provide further moisture. Before you are ready to use them make sure to rinse the shells, remove the beards or hairy bits, and scrub away any debris off the shells.

-Arrabbiata Sauce-
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 small sweet onion - chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic - minced
1-2 dashes of hot chili flakes (as desired)
2 800g (28oz) cans of peeled tomatoes (Roma / San Marzano)
2 tbsp of fresh basil, chopped roughly
Salt and Pepper to Taste

-Toppings-
Fresh Italian Basil

-Extras-
Baguette

LOVE SEAFOOD? CHECK OUT THESE OTHER SEAFOOD RECIPES!

HOW TO MAKE MUSSELS ARRABIATA:

 

In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, add olive oil and let it heat up on low to medium heat.

Once hot add onion to skillet and let sweat for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally.

Once onion and garlic are translucent add in your chili flakes and continue to cook, 1-2 minutes.

Next, add in your roughly chopped fresh basil and both cans of tomatoes. Chop up any large tomato bits.

Add salt and pepper and mix thoroughly before covering and simmer at a low temperature for 30 minutes, stirring periodically. After 15 minutes add more salt and pepper to desired taste, if needed, then cover and let the sauce continue to simmer.

Place mussels in the skillet or Dutch oven and mix until fully coated in the simmering sauce. Cover and allow mussels to open/cook for 3-5 more minutes

Once all the mussels appear to be open and cooked, place in a bowl, garnish with fresh basil and serve!

Enjoy!

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM @ISTHATSOH!

The first of many interior design decisions to come! Now that we are half way through the last phase of our interior renovations (the basement) I am getting really excited about shifting my focus from renoing our Toronto Victorian home to styling a
No more scary basement! 🏡 Here is a little before and after of our basement underpin by @icy.reno We went from 6 foot ceilings to just under 8.5 and installed new drains, waterproofing and a radiant floor! DYK that doing an underpin and finishing

If you like this fresh mussels recipe or have any comments/questions about how to cook mussels, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

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A GOOD CUP OF COFFEE - MY INSPIRATION FOR A TIRAMISU RECIPE #SPONSORED

Having recently witnessed my first Japanese tea ceremony I learned that the beauty behind the  ceremony is not only drinking tea and sharing the tea with others, but the consciousness of every action, movement in preparation, presentation, and enjoyment. The ceremony in fact is much more about reflection, meditation, and living in the moment than just drinking tea.

Although I am not much of a tea drinker I too am a creature of routine and morning meditation. Much like the Japanese tea ceremony, I have a series of actions, movements, and preparations I do to get ready for my day. One such action that must always occur is my morning coffee. When all is still dark and silent I sneak downstairs quietly to my kitchen, turn my stove on until I hear the familiar clicks of my gas stove and wait for the kettle to boil. During this time of patiently waiting for the water to boil I meditate and reflect on how I am feeling, how I slept, and let both my body and mind consciously connect while taking deep breaths and listening to the background sounds of slowly bubbling water.

With the whistles of my kettle I am brought back to the moment and like a dance I have performed hundreds of thousands of times previously, a series of moments I can practically do with my eyes closed, I gather all the instruments and ingredients I need to make my first cup of coffee. With each deliberate movement I am now focused and have only one goal - to achieve the perfect cup of coffee.

With the help of my Melitta ‘Pour Over Coffee Brewing Cone’, I am in control of how much coffee I want to make and how strong I want to make it. Usually for my morning coffee I use 4 tablespoons of coffee and make two cups - one I like to drink when it’s fresh and hot and the second I let cool for an ice coffee later. No matter what your coffee preference, weather you like your coffee flavoured, bold, dark roast, organic or even on the go - you can make coffee your way every morning with Melitta Pour Over Coffee.  

Once ready and when the rich aroma of my perfect cup of coffee hits my nose I like to move to the couch, cuddle up to my little Frenchie who is often still snoozing and take a moment to enjoy what I have created. With each sip my mind turns on and I am able to reflect and focus on what I want to accomplish in my day ahead. Believe it or not sometimes great inspiration is born in these still moments of reflection. Today as I was sipping my morning coffee I reflected on a cooking class I did on my recent trip to Italy. Inspired by both the memory and my morning cup of coffee I decided to turn that second cup of coffee into a delicious Tiramisu dessert I learned. And with that memory and inspiration I here leave you with a recipe for creating your own delicious Tiramisu and encourage you to find the joy and inspiration hiding in your own perfect cup of coffee. Enjoy.

Tiramisu Recipe

Good for 4 people

INGREDIENTS:

4 Egg Yolks
4 TBSP of granulated sugar
400g or 1 3/4 Cups of Mascarpone cheese
1 Box of Ladyfingers Biscuits
Coco Powder
1 Cup of Melitta Pour Over Coffee - room temperature
*Optional - Add some almond extract or rum (just a few drops) to the cream to add another layer of aroma

DIRECTIONS:

Making the Cream

Mix the egg yolks with the sugar using a whisk until a soft cream starts to form.

Add the Mascapone cheese in bit by bit being careful not to dissolve the texture.

Once a nice cream base is formed if you want, you can now add in a couple drops of your almond extract or rum for additional aroma.

Making the Tiramisu

Fill the bottom of an individual sized mason jar, teacup or if you only want to make one large one for a group, cake pan with a layer of cream.

Next dip the lady finger (you may need to break it in half depending on what you are using to hold your tiramisu) into the coffee quickly so it gets submerged but doesn’t crumble from holding to much liquid. Place a lady finger layer on top of cream layer.

Repeat alternating these two processes of cream and ladyfinger until individual mason jar, teacup or cake pan is full. Add final layer of cream to the top if you did not end with cream and sprinkle sifted coco powder over top. Store in fridge until ready to serve.

If you like this recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

Although this post has been generously sponsored by Melitta Canada, the opinions and language are my own, and do not reflect Melitta Canada.

 

Find out more about Melitta at Melitta.ca

ITALIAN CROSTATA RECIPE - MEMORIES FROM ITALY

Having recently received a package of Bonne Maman jams (best surprise ever!) I decided that I would put them to good use and make some delicious Italian breakfast tarts known as Crostatas. If you ever find that you have lots of jam in your fridge and you are looking for ways to use them up this is a great idea. The recipe is really easy and forgiving, and can be a fun activity to do with kids. Although Italians typically serve this tart with breakfast it can easily transition to an after dinner dessert with the help of a scoop of ice cream. Buon appetito!!

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups of flour
1/2 Cup of granulated sugar
1/2 Teaspoon of baking powder
1 Egg + 1 Egg yoke (throw out whites for just one egg)
1/2 Cup of butter (softened!)
3/4 Cup of jam of your choice

DIRECTIONS:

Using a large bowl add in your flour, sugar, and baking powder - whisk until fully incorporated together.

Make a well and add in your eggs and butter, and start to incorporate it all together. I like to start with my whisk and then move to using my hands as it gets more clumpy.

Kneed the clumps together until they form a dough (this may take some time but the butter will eventually spread and help form the dough).

Once dough is formed wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Take dough out of fridge after 30 minutes and roll out using a rolling pin to about 1/8 of an inch thickness.

Spread the dough out over your pie dish and get rid of any excess dough. You can kneed the excess dough together again and roll it out again to create strips of dough which are equal in thickness to decorate the top of the crostata with a lattice later if you want.

Add in your jam and spread out evenly. You want just enough jam where you don't see the crust below.

Add your decorative stripes of dough to the top now. I like to form a lattice but some people cut out shapes instead. You can turn down the edges of the pie to hold the lattice strips in place.

Place in oven for 30 - 35 minutes or until top is golden.

Once ready remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

If you like this recipe or have any comments/questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

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CHEESY GARLIC BREAD

I love Garlic bread! Its one of those things that is so hard to resist when set on the table. What’s not to like about warm bread, cheese and garlic right? Kids love it and it’s a great accompaniment with any Italian meal. This recipe I originally got from Rachel Ray and I was very happy how easy and fast it is to make and I just had to share! Enjoy!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

4 Cloves of Garlic (crushed)
2 TBSP of Butter (melted)
2 TBSP of Olive Oil
1 French Baguette
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Parsley (chopped)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat up the garlic butter and olive oil in a small pan over medium heat.

Take your baguette and split it in half, place under oven broiler until nicely toasted and golden (5-7 minute)

Brush bread with your garlic butter mixture liberally and garnish with cheese and parsley before returning to the broiler for an additional 2-3 minutes or until cheese has melted and nicely browned

Remove bread from oven, cut into chunks and serve warm.

 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can!  Bon Appetite!!!