Vodka sauce

[Leetam716]

I need help. I have made tons of different vodka sauces and they are good, but nothing like I get in the restaurants. I live in the Long Island/NYC area and there are so many good italian restaurants here. Their vodka sauce is always a dark orange color and tastes so much better than the pink ones that I make. I have tried so many different ways, but mixing tomato and heavy cream will always make pink! Some of my favorite restaurants in the area are Vincent's (Westbury, NY), Ciao Baby (Massapequa, NY), La Bella Palermo ( West Babylon, NY), La Parma (Huntington, NY)...They all have the kind of vodka sauce I am looking for. If anyone has ever had these or knows what I am talking about and can recreate these please let me know!
Thanks

[Kitchen Witch]

Here's one that I have - and I have more which I will dig out and post for you -

Vodka Cream Sauce

1 stick butter
* 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1/2 cup vodka
* 1 can Italian crushed tomatoes
* 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
* 1/2 cup romano cheese
* 1 cup heavy cream


1. Pasta, prepaired according to package directions
2. Melt butter over high heat until bubbly; add red pepper flakes. Rapidly add vodka; simmer for 2 minutes (The alcohol burns off, but makes tomatoes "come alive". Simmer tomatoes with the two cheeses for three minutes, then add 1 cup of heavy cream and simmer for one minute. Prepare pasta (shell or tube pasta suggested); mix completely with the sauce and serve immediately.

[Kitchen Witch]

here's another:

Whisk 1 egg yolk in 1 cup heavy cream. Add 1/4 cup vodka, 1/4 cup fresh parsley and 1/2 cup imported Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Add tomato sauce until you get desired color. (Should be peach). Spoon over cooked noodles. Toss and add extra cheese to taste.

[Kitchen Witch]

VODKA SAUCE FOR PASTA

1 stick of butter
1 onion, diced
1/4 to 1/2 c. vodka
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
Few drops of Tabasco sauce
1/2 pt. heavy cream

Saute onion in butter until clear. Add vodka and cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce and Tabasco sauce and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add heavy cream and heat through but do not boil. Enough for 1 pound of pasta. Pour over cooked pasta (preferably short) and enjoy!




PENNE WITH VODKA SAUCE

1 lb. penne macaroni
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1/3 c. melted butter
3 oz. vodka
3/4 c. heavy cream
3 leaves fresh basil

Saute garlic and onion in olive oil. Add tomatoes and paste. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours, add melted butter, vodka and basil and cook for another 45 minutes. Cook penne. Add heavy cream to sauce and cook for another 15 minutes. Strain penne and pour sauce over and serve.

[Aline]

Vodka Cream Pasta from Rachael Ray.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn

Serve with:
Crusty bread, for passing

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic and shallots. Gently sauté shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan (3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup). Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.

Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread.