recipe: penne with vodka sauce

i LOVE penne vodka. oddly enough, even though it's super-easy i rarely make it. i made this last night along with my lil italian feast... i used the Penne with Spicy Vodka Tomato Sauce recipe from allrecipes.com, eliminating the sausage from the original recipe since i was making chicken with it. 

ingredients list:
- 1 lb uncooked penne pasta
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (note: this will be *spicy* penne. if you want traditional vodka sauce, i'd cut it at least in half)
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp vodka
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

to make: bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes until done, then drain and set aside.

while pasta is cooking, in a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. add onion and cook until edges start to turn golden, adding garlic and red pepper for the last minute of cooking. add tomatoes and salt, and bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. add vodka and cream, and bring to a boil. reduce heat to low, simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add pasta and fresh parsley. toss and serve.
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this was a great recipe, but although it said it was a 'spicy' vodka sauce, i didn't think it would be with a 1/2 tsp red pepper. well it was - i think because the pepper sautees for a minute all of the heat comes out. though i was craving traditional vodka sauce, it was still yum and this easily adjusted to taste for next time. this would be fantastic with a bit of panchetta added to the mix... so easy, so yum. i'd pop it a 7.5*******~.