Audrey Hepburn's Penne alla Vodka is a Marvelously Simple Summer Dish

Photo byInside the Rustic Kitchen

Audrey Hepburn was best known as one of Hollywood's most talented, elegant actresses. Even though more than 60 years have passed since she starred in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Holly Golightly is still a universally recognizable character. On a trip to New York City last year, my mom and I visited Fifth Avenue just to get a closer look at the storefront where Holly ate her croissant every morning.

Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's.Photo byHowell Conant/Paramount/ The Kobal Collection

Audrey's talents weren't limited to acting, however. She traveled extensively for her humanitarian work as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF and spoke multiple languages. Unlike the iconic Holly, Hepburn was a fabulous cook and loved to make up her own recipes. Her two favorite foods: chocolate and pasta.

Like her fashion style, Hepburn's recipes were simple yet elegant. According to her second son Luca Dotti, "impressive and ambitious dishes ... these never made their way to our dining table. For, in the kitchen, as in life, my mother gradually freed herself from everything that was superfluous, to keep only what truly mattered to her."

In his book Audrey at Home, Dotti lists his mother's favorite recipes, including this one for Penne alla Vodka, and reminisces about time spent in her kitchen. He explains that she often made the recipe with her best friend Connie Wald, a glamorous Beverly Hills hostess who threw parties during Hollywood's Golden Age. Despite their fame, the two spent their time together talking, laughing, making simple suppers and quibbling over who would do the dishes.

We always had this dish when she stayed with us," Wald said. "Often it was dinner in the kitchen, pasta and then marshmallow chocolate….”

Photo byEatDrinkFilms

Hepburn's version of Penne alla Vodka is creamy, bright orange and full of flavor. It doesn't take long to prepare and has just the right amout of heat balanced by rich tomato sauce. My only suggestion is to add a little salt in addition to the amount thrown into the pasta water. It also doesn't hurt to add fresh herbs and up the amount of Parmesan cheese.

Audrey Hepburn’s Penne alla Vodka

Ingredients

1/3 onion or 1/2 scallion, peeled and finely chopped

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

5 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup tomato puree

1/2 cup good quality Russian vodka

1/2 cup heavy cream

Coarse sea salt

1 pound (16 ounces) penne

1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, sauté the onion and the pepper flakes in the butter over medium heat.

2. Add the tomato puree, reduce the heat to low, and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the vodka. Cook down for 15 minutes and add the cream.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of coarse sea salt and add the pasta.

4. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, drain in a colander, and add to the sauce. Turn the heat to high, and pan fry for one minute, tossing to thoroughly coat the pasta with sauce.

5. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Notes

When I was making the sauce I didn't think it would be enough for an entire box of penne but it definitely was.

I didn't necessarily need to, but I added about a 1/4 cup of pasta water to make the sauce silkier. Adding pasta water also prevents the penne from drying out when you store it.

Add fresh herbs to vary the flavor or use a different type of pasta.