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The key to this spicy vodka pasta recipe is breaking the rules. Ultimately vodka pasta never really was a thing in Italy as far as I know. It’s already a rule breaker so we might as well leverage that and find a way to add flavor that you’d never find in Italy, and somehow it belongs so perfectly, a fat dollop of spicy, salty and sweet gochujang. Dry pasta works perfectly, but if you want to make fresh pasta, the recipe is below.

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus overnight drying if making fresh pasta (see "Optional" at bottom of recipe)

Active Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (60mL) extra virgin olive oil

• 4 oz (114g) guanciale, cut into ⅛ inch (3mm) cubes

• 2 red Fresno chilies, finely chopped

• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 2.5 tsp (13g) granulated sugar

• 3 Tbsp (48g) gochujang 

• 1 cup (256g) tomato paste 

• 1 Tbsp (15mL) vodka 

• ¼ cup (60mL) water 

• 1.5 cups (360mL) heavy cream

• 1 lb (454g) Dried rigatoni or homemade

• ¾ cup (75g) grated pecorino

• 2 Tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

• Kosher salt, to taste

• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste

• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Optional Homemade Pasta:

• 500g semolina flour, plus more for dusting

• 250g water, at room temperature, plus more as needed

Directions: 

1. Fill a 6 quart pot  about halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Season to taste with salt until it is almost as salty as the ocean.

2. In a 5 quart saute pan, add your olive oil and guanciale, set heat to medium-low, and stir often until guanciale is crispy and browned, about 4-5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium then add the Fresno chilies and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and saute until fragrant and softened, about 1 minute. Stir in the sugar then add in the gochujang and tomato paste. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken, caramelize, and stick to the bottom of the pan.

3. At this point, add your pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions if using store-bought, until al dente. If you made fresh rigatoni, cook for 2-3 minutes or until al dente.

4. Deglaze the sauce with the vodka and water, stirring with a wooden or heat proof spoon or spatula scraping the bottom. Then add the heavy cream, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Once your sauce is done, taste for salt, and add more if needed.

5. Add your cooked pasta to the sauce pot and toss to combine. Cut off the heat and vigorously stir in your grated pecorino and butter. Add additional pasta water to aid in the emulsification and coating as needed about 1 tablespoon at a time. Try to avoid adding too much otherwise you’ll end up with watery pasta sauce. Taste and adjust levels of salt if needed, this is your final chance to season fully. 

6. Serve in a bowl or on a plate topped with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano or more pecorino grated directly on top. Finish with a little bit of fresh cracked black pepper. Serve and enjoy!

Optional Homemade Pasta:

1. Combine the semolina and water in a large mixing bowl. Stir together with your hands just until it comes together. Knead with your hands until it forms into a ball. Add a tablespoon or so of water, as necessary, to help it come together. Once you can form it into a cohesive ball, it is ready.

2. Set up a baking sheet lined with a piece of semolina dusted parchment paper, and attach the KitchenAid rigatoni-shaped pasta extruder to your KitchenAid stand mixer. Turn on the KitchenAid to speed 6, and slowly feed the machine with small balls of your pasta dough. Press through the machine and cut to your desired length (usually about 2”/ 5cm). Repeat with the rest of your dough, gently toss with more semolina, then dry uncovered overnight in the fridge