Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola – Pasta in Vodka Sauce

ByEdyta July 14, 2017September 15, 2021

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Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola – pasta in Vodka Sauce recipe with Oven Roasted Tomato from the famous East Hampton’s restaurant: Nick and Toni’s, featured by Ina Garten on Food Network – Barefoot Contessa; with my little twist of using fresh tomatoes from my own garden.

However, if you’d like to spice up your pasta alla vodka check my recipe for Pasta Alla Vodka with Spicy Sausage. You could also simply add spicy sausage to this penne alla vecchia bettola!

I remember the first time I saw the episode of the Barefoot Contessa on Food Network when Ina Garten met with a chef from Nick and Toni’s. I was literally drooling while they were preparing this awesome Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola. I knew that I had to make it one day.

The idea of slow-roasting tomatoes in the oven was just brilliant. Recently I saw this episode again and the light bulb lit up in my head – I need to make it with my own tomatoes from my very own garden. This recipe is a perfect Italian meal. It can serve as dinner, lunch, side dish to some light, grilled meats or a vegetarian main dish. You name it!

Oh yeah, I’ve been trying my hand at gardening. I’ve been “producing produce!” I am so proud of my gardens. I only have herbs, tomatoes, and peppers; but it is such an amazing feeling to grow something from the scratch. I’ve had so many tomatoes that I needed to come up with many creative ways to use them. Hence, this delicious pasta came to my mind.

I used my fresh Roma Tomatoes, instead of canned tomatoes, and the result was simply outstanding.

This Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola pasta dish is one of the most popular posts on my blog. I originally published it on September 16, 2015. Since then I have received a number of comments and questions that I would like to address.

Below are Frequently Asked Questions and my answers to them. If you feel like I didn’t answer all of them please leave a comment. Also, the tomatoes season is approaching here in New York so I feel like it is an appropriate time to bring this recipe back to live. I previously updated my other very popular post: Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with FAQs and it was well appreciated so I am hoping that this FAQ section will be also useful.

After the FAQ section, you will see a step-by-step guide on how to make this amazing Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola.

Frequently Asked Questions about Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola:

When do you add vodka?
- See the first step below.
What do I replace vodka if I don’t want to use it?
- You can skip it or use some white wine. The taste will be a little bit different though.
What temperature should it be cooked on the stove?
- It should be cooked on medium-high heat.
Can the sauce be made ahead of time?
- Yes, absolutely. Keep it in a fridge and heat up when ready to serve.
My house is alcohol-free. What do I replace vodka with?
- Simply skip it. It’s a flavor enhancer and there is no need to replace it.
Can you recommend a lactose-free alternative?
- I would either use lactose-free cream or milk or if you are up for a taste: coconut milk. It will change the flavor but I’m sure it will still be delicious.

Here is a step by step guide on how to make Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola:

First: Sauté onions with garlic, red chili pepper flakes, and oregano. Cook until soft and translucent. Add vodka and cook for about 7 minutes.

Then wash and cut up tomatoes into cubes. (Aren’t they beautiful?)

Add tomatoes to the onions/garlic mixture on your pan. Cook for a couple of minutes.

Transfer the pan into the oven, heat up to 375F, and roast for an hour and a half. Here’s how it looks after you take it out of the oven.

Place the tomatoes/onions mix in the blender and process until smooth.

If the tomatoes produce too much liquid put it aside and add as much as needed to create the consistency of the sauce that you like.
If you have a high-speed blender your sauce should come out smooth but if your blender is not super powerful and you are left with pieces of seeds and/or skin, simply strain the sauce through the mesh strainer and you will have a smooth wonderful sauce.
Return the sauce to your pan, add heavy cream, mix and cook for about 5 minutes.
In the meantime, shred some good quality Parmigiano Reggiano. It is really important to have a good quality, freshly shredded cheese. The taste and texture will be totally different if you use processed store-bought pre-shredded cheese with questionable quality.

Add the cheese to the sauce and stir until combined. Check for seasoning and adjust to your liking.

Cook pasta according to instructions, but one minute less. Add almost cooked pasta to your sauce and mix it well. You want to finish cooking pasta in the sauce.

And here it is, smooth, velvety, absolutely delicious Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola with homegrown Roma Tomatoes.

Sprinkle some more cheese, black pepper, and parsley on top and enjoy. You should serve it immediately for the best taste and texture. However I had leftovers and we heated it up the next day for lunch, and it was still super delicious.

What does Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola Mean

Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola is pasta in vodka sauce that translates in Italian to Old Tavern or “Pens of the Old Tavern” or Tavern pasta. I can guarantee you that this is the best pink pasta or pasta in vodka sauce you will ever try!

This is my favorite pasta recipe but go and check my latest Italian recipes: