‘Spicy Rigs’ — a.k.a., Rigaytoni alla Vodka
Do I dare say, my all-time favorite? “Spicy Rigaytoni” is essentially my alias, so I guess it’s only fitting.
Rich, creamy, spicy, cheesy — this simple adaptation of vodka sauce hits all of the spots, every time. I add crispy pancetta for some salty texture, and am not shy with the heat.
If you’re not a fellow spice-fiend, just cut the crushed red pepper in half. And yes, I know that the title is misleading and these aren’t actually rigatoni. Going with pipe rigate is my preference — more nooks & crannies to catch all of the silky sauce and pancetta crisps.
Carbone? I don’t know her.
Let’s cook!
You’ll need:
1 4 oz package of diced pancetta
1 tube (4.5 oz) of tomato paste
3-4 shallots, depending on their size, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c heavy cream, brought to room temperature
1/4 c (“1 shot”) of vodka
1/2 c grated Parmigiano Reggiano (+ plenty more to serve)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb (1 box) of pipe rigate pasta
Fresh basil, for serving
Quality EVOO
Salt & fresh-ground black pepper
Makes 1 lb of cooked pasta, about ~4 servings.
Steps:
Put a large pot of water on to boil. Tip: Don’t salt pasta water until after water is boiling (salt water takes longer to boil), and make sure to use plenty of salt — 1 heaping tbsp.
Add diced pancetta to the bottom of a cold Dutch oven, with just a splash of EVOO. Bring to medium-low heat, and cook/stir until browned (not burnt!). Transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl, to drain.
Meanwhile, peel & finely slice the shallots. Peel & mince the garlic cloves. Splash another glug of EVOO to the pancetta drippings, and sauté the shallots on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic to the oil, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until softened but not browned.
Squeeze the entire tube of tomato paste into the Dutch oven, along with the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring around often, until deep red and caramelized. Pour in vodka, deglazing and scraping the bottom of the pan with your wooden spoon — 1-2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low — add the room temp heavy cream, a splash of boiling water and the cooked pancetta, stirring until completely mixed/smooth. Remove from heat, until pasta is ready. Salt to taste.
Cook pasta to al dente. Just before draining the pasta, return Dutch oven to low heat and set aside 1 cup of the water (a small glass Pyrex is my go-to for this). Drain pasta super well, shaking your colander — pipe rigate are notorious for holding sauce, but also pasta water!
Add well-shaken pasta to the vodka sauce, with 1/2 cup of the water to start, plus the grated cheese. Mix constantly until coated and smooth (add splashes of additional pasta water as needed), and the pasta is done to your liking. Remove from heat.
Serve in pasta bowls, topped with a drizzle of EVOO and garnished with fresh basil. As always, don’t skimp on the extra grated cheese, too.
