I made Nigella Lawson's vodka pasta sauce - I'd change 1 crucial thing

Vodka sauce has gone viral numerous times over the last couple of years, whether as or as a replacement for tomato sauce on a pizza base. A spicy vodka sauce recipe made headlines a few years ago after it was shared by supermodel Gigi Hadid, who paired it with some shell pasta.

However, she's not the only person to have shared a recipe for vodka sauce, and she's certainly not the first. Back in 2004, TV chef shared a recipe for Penne Alla Vodka in her cookbook, Feast. In the book, she shared numerous recipes that may be suitable when hosting get-togethers.

Nigella's recipe caught my eye because she decided to add vodka to the cooked pasta rather than to the tomato sauce - a take on this dish that I had not tried before.

Now, I do enjoy vodka sauce, both on pizza and pasta, but this change wasn't necessarily for me. While the meal was still tasty enough, I certainly would add the vodka to the tomatoes if making this recipe again.

The tomato sauce was also rather plain and would perhaps have been perfected with the addition of chillis. But either way, I still happily ate the dish and didn't have to call my local pizza place instead.

I would perhaps consider making this for guests, which is what the recipe in intended for, as a bigger portion of pasta would likely lead to less of a vodka taste when eating.

Nigella Lawson's Penne Alla Vodka Ingredients (Serves 10)

• One large onion
• Two tablespoons of garlic-infused olive oil
• 800g canned chopped tomatoes
• Two tablespoons, double cream
• One kilogram of penne
• 125ml of vodka
• Four tablespoons of unsalted butter
• Salt, to taste
• Parmesan cheese, or a vegetarian alternative, to taste

Method

Start by finely chopping the onion, either by hand or in a food processor. In a large pan, heat the olive oil and add the onion and a good helping of salt.

Cook for about 15 minutes without letting the onion burn, giving it a stir every now and then. It should be very soft and nearly caramelised.

Add the tins of chopped tomatoes to the pan and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes. Then stir in the double cream and take off the heat.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil, add the pasta and a generous pinch of salt. Set a timer for 3-4 minutes less than the packet instructions for cooking, as you will want it to be al dente.

Drain the cooked pasta and tip it back into the pan. Pour over the vodka, add the butter, and some more salt. Turn the penne in the vodka and melting butter and then tip it into the tomato sauce.

Toss the pasta in the sauce until it is evenly coated and serve alongside grated Parmesan.