Name: Vodka Gochujang Pasta
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. canola oil; 1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced; 1 tsp. salt, plus more; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1¾ cups passata (tomato purée) or finely chopped canned tomatoes; 1 Tbsp. gochujang; 1 Tbsp. tomato paste; 6 Tbsp. vodka, divided; ¾ cup light cream (18% fat) or oat-based creamer; 14 oz. rigatoni; Freshly ground black pepper

Photo by David Loftus

Sometimes I find myself projecting onto dinner what I really want out of life—and this pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos. In short, I want a little bit more of what this pasta has to offer.

Gochujang is a sweet, hot Korean red pepper paste that is sold in most major supermarkets or online. It’s not blow-your-socks-off hot, especially when tempered with cream.

Recipe information

Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. canola oil

1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced

1 tsp. salt, plus more

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1¾ cups passata (tomato purée) or finely chopped canned tomatoes

1 Tbsp. gochujang

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

6 Tbsp. vodka, divided

¾ cup light cream (18% fat) or oat-based creamer

14 oz. rigatoni

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1
Put 2 Tbsp. canola oil into a large frying pan on a medium to high heat, add 1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced, and 1 tsp. salt and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes, until onion is soft enough to cut easily with a wooden spoon.
Step 2
Add 2 garlic cloves, crushed, fry 2 minutes, then add 1¾ cups passata (tomato purée) or finely chopped canned tomatoes, 1 Tbsp. gochujang, 1 Tbsp. tomato paste, and 3 Tbsp. vodka and leave it all to bubble away for 10 minutes, until the mix is quite paste-like. Stir in ¾ cup light cream (18% fat) or oat-based creamer and remaining 3 Tbsp. vodka, simmer a couple minutes, then take off the heat.
Step 3
Cook 14 oz. rigatoni a minute less than the package instructions. Carefully scoop a mug (around 1 cup) of the cooking water out of the pasta pan, put this to one side, then drain the pasta.
Step 4
Pop sauce back on the heat, stir in pasta and all the reserved pasta cooking water, then let it bubble away for a couple minutes, until sauce is nice and thick and clinging to pasta. Spoon into bowls and add a little salt and freshly ground black pepper if you wish.