VODKA SAUCE

I am trying to catch up on the e mail requests I have received for recipes.  A few of you have asked for a recipe for a Vodka Sauce, so I have posted one that always works for me.  My husband was not a huge fan of Vodka sauce because he did not like Vodka or cream, he always preferred simple tomato sauces rather than anything made with cream.  So when I made this sauce I always kept some plain sauce on the side without the Vodka for him.

When making this sauce you should remember it is only as good as the base marina sauce is. A simple tomato sauce takes only about twenty minutes to make from start to finish, but the added flavor it will bring to your completed dish won’t be beat.

Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 quart Simple Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
• 1 cup vodka or to taste
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Simmer the tomato sauce and vodka in a heavy large skillet over low heat until the mixture reduces by 1/4, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir the cream into the tomato and vodka sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is heated through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and well blended.

Simple Tomato Sauce:

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

4 to 6 basil leaves

2 dried bay leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

sugar

DIRECTIONS

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add one teaspoon of sugar at a time, to round out the flavor.