According to surveys, January 17th is the day that most throw in the towel on their New Year’s resolutions. This is not that surprising as it takes 28 days to form a habit. So you may or may not be eating carbs now, but within a few days you might feel the need for pasta in your life. When that time comes, I want you to be prepared. Enter: rigatoni alla vodka. Yes, it is decadent and creamy and fatty. Is it a once a week meal? Probably not. Once a month? You bet your bottom dollar. Why? Because I truly believe life is too short to avoid carbs and cream.

Perhaps my epitaph will read:

Here lies Savannah,

She loved Blue and White china,

and never said no to carbs and cream…

You could be remembered for worse things, am I right?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. of hot Italian sausage

• 1/2 lb. of ground beef

• 1 small onion

• 3 garlic cloves

• 8 oz. Parmesan cheese

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 4.5-oz. tube double-concentrated tomato paste

• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

• 3 oz. vodka

• ¾ cup heavy cream

• 1 lb. rigatoni (I used the shorter version, mezzo rigatoni, as the smaller size incorporates a bit easier!)

• basil leaves for garnishing

• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Fill a stock pot or other large pot three-quarters full with water, over high heat. Bring to a boil, add a heavy pinch of salt once boiling. Tip: When needing to bring water to a boil more quickly, fill the pot with hot water out of the facet. It’ll help bring to a boil faster, as the starting temperature closer to the boiling point!

2. Peel and finely chop 1 onion.

3. Peel 3 cloves of garlic and grate with a microplane.

4. Grate 8 oz. Parmesan on the smallest holes of the box grater. Tip: Anytime you’re making a sauce with cheese, it is important to grate your own. Pre-shredded or grated cheese is coated with cellulose so that it will not stick together in a container, as it blocks the absorption of moisture. Therefore when added to a sauce, it will not come together as easily as cheese grated by y-o-u!

5. In a large pot, add the beef and sausage on medium heat and cook until browned. Add a pinch of salt while cooking. Once cooked through, place cooked meat on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Tip: When building a sauce or soup, or really anything, it is important that you are tasting and seasoning at every step! You are literally building layers of flavor!

6. In the large pot you browned the meat in, heat 2 tbsp. oil. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, just until onion is starting to brown around the edges, about 5–7 minutes.

7. Add 1 lb. rigatoni to pot of boiling salted water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Tip: I chose a ridged pasta with texture to help the sauce cling to it, as opposed to a smooth pasta.

8. Back to the onion and garlic, add entire 4.5-oz. tube tomato paste and ½ tsp. red pepper flakes and stir until paste evenly coats onion/garlic mixture. Continue to cook, stirring often, until paste is deep red (think brick red!) and starting to brown on bottom of pot, 5–7 minutes.

9. Add 3 oz. vodka to deglaze pan and stir to incorporate, scraping bottom of pot. Reduce heat to low.

10. Using a glass measuring cup, scoop about ¼ cup boiling water from pasta pot, then add ¾ cup heavy cream to measuring cup Tip: You’re tempering the cream so it won’t curdle.

11. Slowly add warmed cream to tomato mixture, stirring constantly, until a smooth sauce forms.

12. Add 1/2 of the parmesan and stir to combine, and then add meat to the sauce.

13. Using a spider, transfer rigatoni to sauce. Some water will hang on to the pasta when transferring over! That is okay—the starch in the water helps build the sauce!

14. Add in the last half of Parmesan, stirring constantly to melt cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste and feel free to keep a pinch of Parmesan to the side for garnishing, if so desired!

15. Serve immediately and top with remaining cheese, dividing evenly, and tear basil and garnish.

16. Enjoy!

A step-by-step photo guide is below!