The food lab better home cooking through science ( PDFDrive ) 863

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 medium onion, finely diced about 1½ cups 2 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated on a Microplane about 2 teaspoons ½

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1½ cups)

2 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated on a

Microplane (about 2 teaspoons)

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of red pepper flakes

One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes packed in juice,

crushed by hand or with a potato masher into rough ½-inch chunks

1 stem fresh basil (optional)

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup vodka

Kosher salt

1 pound penne, ziti, or other short tubular pasta

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch-wide slivers

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

1 Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over

medium-high heat until the butter has melted and the foaming subsides Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes Add the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute Add the tomatoes, with their juice, and basil, if using Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook,

stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and reduced to 4 cups, about 30 minutes

2 Transfer the sauce to the jar of a blender, discarding the

basil, and add the cream and vodka Starting on the lowest speed and gradually increasing to high, blend until completely smooth, about 30 seconds Return to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce to a bare simmer and allow to reduce further while the pasta cooks

3 Place the pasta in a large pot and cover with hot water.

Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking Continue to cook until the pasta is fully softened but retains a slight bite in the center Meanwhile about 2 minutes before the pasta is done, add the chicken to the sauce and stir to combine

4 Drain the pasta, reserving 1½ cups of the cooking liquid,

and return to the pot Add the sauce, stir to combine, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has achieved the desired consistency, about 1 minute, adding some of the reserved pasta water as necessary Serve immediately, topped with the parsley and grated cheese