Pasta with Tomato and Vodka Sauce

This Italian dish is called Penne al Pomodoro e Vodka and the vodka is added near the end of cooking to give the flavour a little punch.

Ingredients serve 4

3 Chicken breasts (900g)

500 g penne or fusilli

200 ml tomato passata

2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

5 leaves fresh basil

200 ml cream

100 ml vodka

60g butter

1 tbls crushed pepper

3 tbls freshly grated parmesan

Method

Preheat oven to 180ºC normal bake. Place oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken breast and fry for approx. 4 minutes on each side. Place chicken breast on a deep oven tray and place in the oven for approx. 15 minutes. Place oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic, passata, season with salt and pepper. Cook gently for approx. 10 minutes while cooking the pasta. Melt butter in a large deep frying pan with the cracked pepper. Add the drained pasta and mix well to ensure the pasta is well coated with butter. Pour the sauce over the pasta while stirring and then add the cream while stirring. Add vodka and mix again. Take the pasta off the heat. Slice chicken and place on a plate. Place pasta on the plate, sprinkle chopped parsley, parmesan and cracked black pepper. Serve straight away.

Note: If you like more sauce with your pasta, perhaps double the sauce ingredients.