Day 360: Jen's Munchie Vodka Sauce

My BFF, Jen, created this dish on the spur of the moment, based purely on instinct. It is the definition of gastronomy: the art and science of good eating. Dinner was a perfect balance of fresh ingredients, depth, complexity and the company of good friends. There is no better testament to the Slow Food movement than this.

Ingredients:

1tbsp olive oil
6 Cloves of Garlic – sliced fine and chopped
2 Shallots- sliced fine and chopped
1 18oz can of Nina San Marzano Tomatoes with Basil and Tomato puree – you can get these at Tenuta’s
3 mild Italian sausages – remove the casings
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp Italian seasoning mixture – basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme mixture
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp of dry mustard – helps with coloring
2 shots of Vodka
1/3 cup of heavy cream
3 tbsp butter

I also like to add 3 tbsp of Tastefully Simple’s Onion Onion to this; it gives it a good flavor. If you don't have this at home you can omit or try to create your own version. It is a blend of onion, garlic, sea salt, shallots, red bell pepper, parsley, chives, and leeks.

Chop Garlic and Shallots; brown them in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add sausage and brown. Add in the can of tomatoes, spices and bring to a boil. Cook down for about 20 mins.
Stir in the heavy cream and vodka. Continue to boil for another 20 mins, and then turn down to a simmer. Add 3 tbsp of butter.

Cook for an additional 20 mins to let some of the liquid cook off.

Serve over your favorite noodle. I prefer a heavy noodle as this sauce is a little thick. In this case I used a a 3-foot long tube pasta from Tenuta's Italian Grocery in Kenosha, WI. The noodles had a flavor of their own that greatly contributed to the flavor of the sauce so I suggest choosing a very good quality noodle to accompany this sauce.

Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.