Baked Rotini in Vodka Sauce

Ready for a new pasta dish from the Saucy Sicilians? This tangy vodka sauce is Southern Europe meets Eastern Europe! Just like when my Grandma Josephine Foti (Sicilian) met my Grandpa John Levendoski (Polock). The two collided, and the rest is history. We have red wine, and Polish vodka, saucing it up in this yummy pasta dish. Serves six big Italians, or eight skinny Polocks. 

Ingredients:
Two packages of Rotini pasta (we used whole wheat for a healthier dish)
A bunch of fresh basil--sliced (4 large leaves, or so)
3 cloves of garlic--sliced
One brown onion--chopped
One pint of heavy cream (not low fat--use the good stuff)
Fresh grated Parmesan (we said "healthier" not "healthy")
Olive oil
2 lbs (cans) of crushed tomato
1 small can of tomato paste
One jar of sun dried tomatoes (drained)
Ground dried basil (because it looks pretty)
Red pepper flakes
Garlic salt 
A bottle of red wine...and maybe a wine glass 
A bottle of vodka...and maybe a shot glass 

Weapons of Choice:
Large dutch oven
Large Sauce pan
Medium pot 
Sauce spoon
Measuring cup
A kitchen with an oven (ha ha)

The Sauce:
Add olive olive to sauce pan. On low heat, saute' garlic until slightly browned. Increase to medium heat, then add chopped onion, and maybe a little more olive oil. I like olive oil...so add more. Saute' onion and garlic until onion softens. Add the basil. Stir some more.

Add the can of tomato paste and "fry" the ingredients together. Why fry? Because Grandma Josephine said to, that's why! This makes a wonderfully tangy base for your sauce. Next, reduce the sauce with red wine. I add about a cup of wine, then cook the ingredients down, then add another cup, then drink a cup. 

Cook the ingredients down again, and then add one half of one of the cans of crushed tomato. Stir until sauce darkens a bit, then add the other half. Add about a cup of vodka to the sauce. Stir for about a minute, then add the other can of crushed tomato with another half cup of vodka. Do a shot. 

Let the sauce cook down for about ten minutes, then add the heavy cream. 

Add a dash or two of red pepper flakes, basil, and garlic salt to taste. Let the sauce simmer on low heat for about an hour. Clean the kitchen. Clean the knives when you sober up.

The Noodles:
Boil them no more than 5 minutes as they'll also cook in the Dutch oven. 
Drain, then stir some sauce in with the noodles; coat them well.
Stir in at least 1/2 of the jar of sun dried tomatoes...what the hell, add the whole jar. 

Putting the Dish Together:
Use a ladle and cover the bottom of the Dutch oven with a layer of sauce. Add half of the pasta. Add as much grated Parmesan as you like. Add another layer of sauce, then pasta, then more sauce, then more cheese. 

Have another shot. 

Bake for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees. Clean the kitchen again. 

Serve with a side salad, and maybe sour dough with vinegar and olive oil. I like olive oil...

Mangia! Mangia!
or
Jeść! Jeść!