For the Rigatoni:
Rigatoni
Author: Pizza Today
Recipe type: pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound Rigatoni
- 2 tablespoons salt
Instructions
- Add 6 quarts into a pot and bring to a boil with 2 tablespoons salt.
- Add 1 pound Rigatoni and cook for 12 minutes.
For the Prosciutto di Parma cracklings:
Prosciutto di Parma Cracklings
Author: Pizza Today
Recipe type: topping
Ingredients
- 4 slices of fatty Prosciutto di Parma, approximately 2.3 ounces
Instructions
- Stack the slices of ham atop each other, then slice horizontally through the meat.
- Stack again and slice across in ¼ to ⅛-inch strips.
- Heat up the olive oil in a pan and wait until just smoking.
- Add the prosciutto while trying to separate every individual slice.
- Turn heat to medium and separate the slices while cooking.
- Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the ham has turned crispy.
- Turn heat off and remove the cracklings to a paper towel to drain.
For the Sauce:
Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce and Prosciutto di Parma Cracklings
Author: Pizza Today
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup finely diced onions
- 9 to 12 plum tomatoes with juice (approximately 28 ounces total)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed in one piece
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, (optional)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup vodka
- 1 large sprig plus one bud fresh basil
- 1-2 tablespoons Prosciutto di Parma cracklings (recipe above)
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan on high with the butter and extra virgin olive oil and add onions while the pan and oils are heating up.
- While the onions are cooking, tear apart the tomatoes, then rub the tomatoes until they fall apart into small pieces. Add them to the sauce.
- Stir the onions on high heat for two minutes, then turn onions to medium and sauté while stirring for 5 more minutes.
- When onions are transparent, add tomato, one cup of pasta water and the salt with a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional).
- Cook to thicken the sauce for another eight minutes.
- Remove the garlic pieces from the sauce. Add the heavy cream and vodka, as well as the large sprig of basil and cook on medium high for 5 more minutes.
- Turn off heat. (Note: if you feel the sauce is too thick or thin, either add more pasta water or cook for extra few minutes.)
- Discard the basil and add 1 ¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- After stirring in the cheese, add the rigatoni to the sauce and toss to coat the pasta.
- Place the sauced rigatoni in a large bowl and scatter Prosciutto di Parma cracklings across the top. Add a big sprig of basil to the dish and enjoy.
