LAZY VODKA SAUCE & THE KITCHEN AID PASTA PRESS REVIEW

• 

• 

• 

I’ve been wanting a pasta maker for years. There is something just super fancy about making homemade pasta, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get it right by just rolling it by hand. I had gone back and forth between the Kitchen Aid Pasta Roller or the Pasta Press. They both have their pros and cons, but after watching a few YouTube videos, I went with the Pasta Press!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy for details.

I’m sure with a lot of patience, you can totally make pasta by hand. You don’t need a fancy machine or mixer attachment. I just really wanted something easy, relatively quick, and simple enough that my son could help me once in a while. The Kitchen Aid Pasta Press totally fits the bill for me. I have a few different Kitchen Aid Mixer attachments, and I really like them for our small space. I don’t have room to have a bunch of small appliances, so the attachments give me the gadgets I want without too much space being taken up.

I’ve used the press a few times now, and each time, it gets easier and the pasta gets better. The press comes with six different plates, letting you make anything from spaghetti to rigatoni. This was a big reason why I picked the press over the roller. It is so versatile, and Mr G and Little G really like short pasta best.

I’ve used a few different recipes, but have found that the recipe in the Pasta Press booklet actually works best. You don’t want a dough that is too wet, otherwise it can gum up in the press and clog it up. I’ve used a mixture of flours, whole wheat, all purpose and a semolina. Regular flour and a cup of semolina is my favorite so far.

The whole process only takes about 20 minutes once you get the hang of it, from starting the dough to pushing it all through the press. It is so easy, and there is just something incredibly satisfying about making your own pasta.

• 

• 

• 

---

LAZY VODKA SAUCE

This is not your grandmother’s Vodka Sauce, but you can bet your bottom dollar your whole family will be licking their plates clean at the end of dinner. I was craving penne alla vodka for something fierce but didn’t have the ingredients needed for a traditional recipe. I winged this recipe once during quarantine, and have remade it twice now!

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1/2 jar of marinara, or simple tomato sauce (16 oz, or two cups)
• 1/3 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound of pasta
• 1 cup of pasta water, reserved on the side
• fresh basil, optional

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in olive oil, red pepper, and garlic. Saute gently to release flavors and infuse olive oil. Add in tomato paste and cook until it deepens in color, two to three minutes.

Pour in pasta sauce and carefully pour in vodka. Stir, cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. You want to make sure to cook the alcohol out, so don’t skip simmering!

While your sauce is cooking away, cook your pasta according to directions. If you are using homemade pasta, wait until your sauce is fully finished before cooking. Cook until al dente. Don’t forget to set aside a cup of your pasta water before draining.

Once your sauce has deepened in color and no alcohol remains, stir in heavy cream and parmesan. Taste and season accordingly with salt and pepper.

Pour the hot pasta into the sauce and give it a stir. Pour in half the pasta water to loosen the sauce a bit. Cook for two more minutes to bring the sauce and pasta together. Add more pasta water if needed.

Serve with a little more parm sprinkled on top and fresh basil if you have it!