When Gigi Hadid [1] posted a recipe for spicy vodka pasta in her Instagram Stories during lockdown last year, I was instantly inspired to try it myself. Pasta is one of my all-time favourite dinners, and considering the fact that I eat it at least two or three nights of the week (don't judge me), I consider myself a pro when it comes to cooking delicious sauces.
But I have to admit, I hadn't tried a spicy vodka sauce before. At the end of 2019, I finally made the trip to Carbone in New York City [2], which is a traditional Italian restaurant that serves a spicy vodka rigatoni dish that costs a cool £25. It's worth every penny (I'll just put that out there up front) and is, hands down, one of the top five pastas I've had in my life. I never thought I'd be able to recreate it at home, and I certainly never thought it'd be Gigi Hadid that helped me get one step closer to that dream.
When I saw Gigi post the step-by-step recipe on her Instagram Stories, I instantly decided to give it a go. I had most of the ingredients in my kitchen, and after forcing my boyfriend to go to the corner shop to buy a packet of penne pasta (the closest we could get to rigatoni), I was ready to go. I followed Gigi's recipe to the letter, and the result was actually bloody delicious, and definitely reminiscent of the Carbone classic. Of course, even I have to admit nothing will come truly close to sitting in Carbone's plush leather booth with a fork in one hand and a Negroni in the other, but eating it on the couch in my London flat while doing a pub quiz with my friends over Zoom came pretty close.
Ahead, see how I recreated Gigi Hadid's spicy rigatoni pasta at home.
Step 1: Sauté Onion and Garlic in Olive Oil
In a large sauce pan:
- Heat 1/4 cup olive oil.
- Add a small clove of garlic, diced, and 1/4 of a shallot (I only had red onion, so used a little less than a quarter of one.
- Cook till soft
Editor's Note: I immediately thought there was too much oil in this recipe, from the very first stage, but persevered and found the final dish wasn't oily at all. That said, if you don't like using much oil in your cooking, I'd suggest halving Gigi's suggested amount.
Step 2: Add Tomato Paste
- Add in 1/4 cup of tomato paste.
- Cook until darker and a bit caramelised.
Step 3: Add Vodka, Heavy Cream, and Chilli Flakes
- Add one tablespoon of vodka to the pan and cook until it almost evaporates. (You can also skip the vodka altogether if you prefer.)
- Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream to pan.
- Add one teaspoon red pepper (chilli) flakes — or more if you like it hotter.
Step 4: Season With Salt and Pepper and Cook Pasta
- Keep stirring until combined.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the sauce from the heat.
- Cook your pasta (about 250 grams for two people). When the pasta is cooked, save 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining.
Editor's Note: I recommend reserving an additional 1/4 cup pasta water, just in case you need it in the next step.
Step 5: Add Cooked Pasta, Pasta Water, and Butter to Pan
- Add the cooked pasta, 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, and one tablespoon of butter to the pan.
- Stir over a medium heat till the cutter has melted and the sauce is "saucyyyyy."
Step 6: Add Parmesan Cheese
- Add 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese to the pan and stir.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Editor's Note: If your sauce is too thick or simply not saucy enough, slowly add the additional pasta water you put aside earlier until it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 7: Serve Topped With Parmesan Cheese and Chopped Basil
