Penne A La Vodka

I really like this dish, but until now, I have not made a version of it that I would repeat. This is a version of Odette William's from Simple Pasta. It is a weeknight recipe that you prepare the sauce while you are cooking the penne. 1 lb. dried penne 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 shallot, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, grated 1 small red Thai chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced, or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 c. tomato paste ¼ cup vodka ¾ cup heavy cream ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for topping ⅓ cup coarsely chopped basil leaves, plus small leaves for topping 1 teaspoon kosher salt Directions: 1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. 2. In a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat warm the olive oil. Add the shallot, garlic, and chile and sauté just until translucent, about 3 minutes. 3. Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook for another couple of minutes, then pour in the vodka and cook it off for a couple minutes more. 4. Add the cream to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer for a couple of minutes. Lower the heat and keep the sauce warm. 5. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to package instructions if using store-bought. Using a large spider or slotted spoon, transfer the pasta into the warm sauce, along with ¼ cup of the pasta water, and toss to coat. Stir in the Parmigiano and basil, then season with the salt. 6. Serve the pasta topped with additional Parmigiano and small basil leaves.