foolproofliving

0 Cook the pasta: Fill a big pot with water and a generous amount of salt. Bring to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, following the package instructions, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining, drain and set aside.
1 Saute the onions: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until warm, 2-3 minutes. Add in the onion, constantly stirring, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onions are softened.
2 Cook the garlic: Stir in the garlic and cook, constantly stirring, for 30 seconds.
3 Add the tomato paste: Add the tomato paste and cook, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1-2 minutes. It might separate a little bit (and look like it is a bit curdled). That is normal.
4 Add the heavy cream: Pour in the heavy cream and whisk until combined. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer for 30 seconds to a minute. This happens so quickly, so do not leave sight of it and do not stop stirring.
5 Stir in the butter and seasonings: Stir in butter, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes, if using.
6 Pour in the (optional) vodka: Off the heat; if using, stir in the vodka and mix.
7 Combine with the pasta: Add the now-cooked pasta to the vodka sauce. Give it a toss to make sure that the sauce is evenly distributed. Pour in some of the reserved pasta water if it gets too thick or starts sticking.
8 Garnish and serve: Finish it off with parmesan cheese and chopped basil. Ladle into bowls and serve.