Classic Vodka Sauce

• 3 T extra virgin olive oil

• 1 T salt

• 1/2 spanish onion, sliced

• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped

• Chili flakes (I put 1 T but you can put whatever heat you want)

• 1/4 c. tomato paste

• 1.5 c. crushed tomatoes

• 1/2 c. grated parmesan (if you want it to be dairy free, you can add 1/4 c. of nutritional yeast here)

• 1 cup unsweetened oat milk (or other milk of your choice)

• 1/4 c. vodka

• 2 sprigs parsley, 2 sprigs basil (stem and all)

Add olive oil to a sauce pan or cast iron on medium low heat (level 4/5 heat out of 10). Add onions and garlic, 1 t of salt and cook until translucent and soft (3-5 mins). Add in your chili flakes and tomato paste. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the oils begin to leave the paste and it tastes less like ketchup and more like tomato. Stir every few minutes so there is no sticking or scorching. Add in the crushed tomatoes and mix. Add in your vodka, oat milk and nutritional yeast. Taste for salt and heat, add more if necessary. The best way to check for seasoning is to taste throughout the cooking process! Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. If you like it as is, you can let it simmer here for another 5 minutes or so but I would suggest to take it off the heat, cool it for 5 minutes then transfer to a blender, add in your basil and parsley, and blend until smooth. Add it back into your saucepan and cook for another 10 minutes on low (3/10) until it has beautifully thickened and become super creamy. If you’re cooking pasta along side it (which I hope you are), add a bit of pasta water to it and then finish cooking your pasta in the sauce for a beautifully married dish.