Penne with Vodka Sauce

You will love Penne with Vodka sauce! I like to add a little Italian sausage to this dish, the vodka sauce is outrageous!

Ingredients:
Serves 4-5

1/2 lb mild Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 Tbs of olive oil for sauteing and a little more for coating pasta
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp dried oregano
1 cup Vodka
2 cans (14 oz) San Marzano tomatoes, drained (or any good whole tomatoes)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 lb penne pasta
1/4 – 1/2 cup heavy cream or half n half
chiffonade 4-5 fresh basil leaves (cut in thin strips)

Directions:

Start by heating the oil in a large skillet and cook the sausage until all pink is out, add the onions and cook about 8 minutes more minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano and sugar and cook 3 more minutes.
Add the vodka and let it reduce by half. Strain the tomatoes, crush them up with your hands and add to the sausage, onion mixture along with the salt and pepper. Simmer very gently for 30 minutes.
While sauce is simmering, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water, the water should taste like the ocean! Drain the pasta, coat with a little olive oil.
Add the cream to the sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed. Add drained pasta to the sauce, sprinkle in the basil and mix well.
Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese and more chopped basil for garnish if you like and dig in!!!!