Thursday, January 19, 2006

Twenty Minute Ravioli w/ Vodka Sauce

Serves two hungry people (and obviously more than that if less hungry or if serving other food as well).

You will need:

one package ravioli (the fresher and more homemade, the better, but any will work)
four roma tomatoes
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce (pizza sauce is great)
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped somewhat finely
good olive oil
vodka (generous splash, say 1/3 cup)
cream or whole milk (about 1/3 cup), room temp or warmer

Cut Romas in half and squeeze out seeds. Place in saucepan and just cover with water. Bring to boil. When skins begin to separate, drain, leaving a little water (and trying not to lose any tomato bits). Peel off and discard skins. Place back over heat and break up tomatoes with fork or wooden spoon or any other utensil you like. When the water is cooked off, add a generous amount of olive oil (2 tablespoons +) and the garlic. Cook for a few minutes and then add the canned sauce. Cook for a few minutes more. Add a little salt. Pour in the vodka and cook it down for a few minutes (you want it to stop smelling like booze but stay more liquid-y than it was before you added it).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt and generous splash of olive oil, then add the ravioli. Stir, bring back to boil, cook according to package instructions (usually about 7 minutes).

Drain the pasta and remove the sauce from heat. Stir the cream into the sauce, then add the ravioli. Delicious!