Ingredients

• 500g/1lb2oz pack of short dried pasta
• such as farfalle
• penne or fusilli
• 200ml/7fl oz (approx.) jar of good quality tomato passata
• 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• sliced
• 5 leaves fresh basil
• 200ml/7fl oz of single cream
• 1 small glass of vodka
• 60g/2oz of butter
• 1 tbsp crushed pepper
• salt
• 3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan

Directions

• To make the tomato sauce
• heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the chopped garlic and fry gently until golden.
• Add the jar of tomato passata and season with salt and pepper. Add several fresh basil leaves and cook gently for about 10 minutes.
• While the sauce is simmering
• bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente . Drain well .
• Meanwhile
• in a large frying pan melt the butter
• add the crushed pepper and the drained pasta. Toss well
• making sure that all the pasta is well coated with butter. Keep the heat high and toss the pasta with a spatula
• while adding the tomato sauce and the cream. Add the glass of vodka
• toss again and turn the heat off; if the vodka evaporates
• you will loose the taste of it.
• Sprinkle with parmesan and serve immediately.