Carbone’s Rigatoni alla Vodka (No Vodka)
Carbone’s Rigatoni alla Vodka (No Vodka)
Ingredients
For the Onion Soubise
- 1 brown onion, whole
- 1 tablespoon French butter
- 1/4 cup water, or as needed
For the Tomato Compote and Sauce
- 2 tins San Marzano tomatoes, 400g each
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more, as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons French butter
- 1/4 cup pure cream, or a dash
For the Pasta
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for garnish
- 1 cup pasta water, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Thinly slice the whole brown onion.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Place the sliced onion in a pan. Add 1 tablespoon of French butter and about 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and translucent with no color. Do not caramelize them. Remove from heat and set aside.
⏱️ 30 min
- 3
Open the 2 tins of San Marzano tomatoes and pour them into a mixing bowl. Crush every single tomato by hand, removing and discarding any bitter cores.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Place a clean stainless steel pan on medium heat. Pour about 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil into the pan. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes (tomato compote) to the pan.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Season the tomato mixture with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Stir continuously with a spatula. As the mixture comes to a simmer, the olive oil will emulsify with the tomato liquid, creating a glossy sauce. Cook until the sauce is thick, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.
⏱️ 15 min
- 6
In a separate large pot, bring generously salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Place another stainless steel pan on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of French butter and allow it to melt.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Add the prepared onion soubise and 1 teaspoon of chopped Calabrian chili to the pan with the melted butter. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Add the prepared tomato compote (from Step 5) to the pan with the onions and chili. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Add 1/4 cup of pure cream to the sauce and stir well. Add about 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce to help emulsify everything and achieve the desired consistency.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Cook the rigatoni pasta in the boiling water until it is just before al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than package directions).
⏱️ 8 min
- 12
Using a spider strainer, transfer the al dente rigatoni directly into the pan with the sauce. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, as needed to achieve a saucy, but not too saucy, consistency.
⏱️ 3 min
- 13
Toss the pasta through the sauce for 1-2 minutes until it is perfectly coated and finishes cooking to al dente.
⏱️ 2 min
- 14
Serve the pasta onto plates and garnish generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Carbone’s Rigatoni alla Vodka (No Vodka)
For the Onion Soubise
- 1 brown onion, whole
- 1 tablespoon French butter
- 1/4 cup water, or as needed
For the Tomato Compote and Sauce
- 2 tins San Marzano tomatoes, 400g each
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more, as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons French butter
- 1/4 cup pure cream, or a dash
For the Pasta
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for garnish
- 1 cup pasta water, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Thinly slice the whole brown onion.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Place the sliced onion in a pan. Add 1 tablespoon of French butter and about 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and translucent with no color. Do not caramelize them. Remove from heat and set aside.
⏱️ 30 min - 3
Open the 2 tins of San Marzano tomatoes and pour them into a mixing bowl. Crush every single tomato by hand, removing and discarding any bitter cores.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Place a clean stainless steel pan on medium heat. Pour about 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil into the pan. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes (tomato compote) to the pan.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Season the tomato mixture with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Stir continuously with a spatula. As the mixture comes to a simmer, the olive oil will emulsify with the tomato liquid, creating a glossy sauce. Cook until the sauce is thick, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.
⏱️ 15 min - 6
In a separate large pot, bring generously salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Place another stainless steel pan on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of French butter and allow it to melt.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Add the prepared onion soubise and 1 teaspoon of chopped Calabrian chili to the pan with the melted butter. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Add the prepared tomato compote (from Step 5) to the pan with the onions and chili. Stir to combine.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Add 1/4 cup of pure cream to the sauce and stir well. Add about 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce to help emulsify everything and achieve the desired consistency.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Cook the rigatoni pasta in the boiling water until it is just before al dente (about 1-2 minutes less than package directions).
⏱️ 8 min - 12
Using a spider strainer, transfer the al dente rigatoni directly into the pan with the sauce. Add more pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, as needed to achieve a saucy, but not too saucy, consistency.
⏱️ 3 min - 13
Toss the pasta through the sauce for 1-2 minutes until it is perfectly coated and finishes cooking to al dente.
⏱️ 2 min - 14
Serve the pasta onto plates and garnish generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 1 min