Is It a Keeper?

This was fantastic!  And, it was really quite easy to make — don’t let the laundry list of ingredients scare you away. It’s worth it.  Trust me on this one!

I loved the combination of flavors.  The tartness of the lemon juice, the richness of the cream and, who can forget the star of the show…the sweetness of the roasted garlic!  They were like little golden nuggets of flavor!

I did make some changes from the original recipe, like using jarred roasted red peppers instead of roasting my own.  Frankly, I just didn’t have time.  And, the original recipe called for topping the dish with crumbled feta cheese.  We’re not fans of feta so I left it out.  But, by all means, if you like it, add it.  Oh, and I served mine over pasta.

This was a fantastic recipe full of bold flavors.  It’s elegant enough for a Sunday dinner with guests and it’s easy enough for a weeknight.  What’s not to love?!

Do yourself a flavor favor and give this recipe a try!

Christina

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The Recipe

1/4 olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 cup vodka
2-28 oz cans peeled plum tomatoes
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Heat the olive oil in large, oven-proof saute pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano can cook for another minute.  Add the vodka and continue cooking until reduced by half.

Drain the tomatoes through a sieve and, using your hands, crush them into the pan with the onions.  Add 2 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper.  Cover the pan with a tight lid and place in a 375 degree oven for 1-1.5 hours.  Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Place the tomato sauce in a blender and puree until the sauce is a smooth consistency.  Return to the pan.  Reheat the sauce and add the fresh oregano and enough heavy cream to make the sauce creamy.  Add salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add parmesan cheese.

Serve over pasta.
Is it a Keeper?

Well, I have to say that it was pretty awesome!  My husband told me it was even better than his favorite Italian restaurant’s vodka sauce!  I don’t know if it was the oven roasting or the fresh oregano, but this sauce was divine!  It was thick and creamy and perfectly seasoned.

I will say that the original recipe called for 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper (which is what I used when I made this recipe) and it was quite spicy.  Too spicy for my 4 year old — although he managed to gobble down half before he realized it was too spicy!  I trimmed the crushed red pepper back by half in the recipe above.

This was a simple sauce to make, but it did take a bit of time.  I think next time, I will make a double batch, and then, after it’s pureed, I will freeze half and save it for another meal.  When I’m ready to use it, I’ll thaw it and continue with the recipe above.

This sauce will also be great with risotto!  I think I’ll add shrimp and peas to the risotto too!

Enjoy!

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