vodka and tomato pasta with smoked salmon

The inspiration behind this recipe goes back a very long way.  I was at school with an Italian girl and her mother used to make a vodka pasta sauce, which was essentially fresh tomatoes (skinned) cooked very slowly with vodka.  It was delicious.

Over the years I have made this many times using both fresh and tinned tomatoes and sometimes adding either bacon or salmon (fresh or smoked).  I have sometimes added chives, chopped parsley or garlic, but the flavours are quite clean and I think too much seasoning detracts from the essence of this dish.

So we keep it simple with the addition of smoked salmon from The Smoking Shed.

What you need to make about 4 portions

• 250gms tagliatella pasta
• 2 cans of whole peeled tomatoes
• approx 200ml of vodka
• 100-200gms smoked salmon cut into small strips
• 125ml cream
• smoked salt
• black pepper

How make

• empty the tins of tomato into a small saucepan and add 125ml vodka and cook over a low heat for about an hour with the lid on
• mash the tomatoes with a potato masher and add the remaining vodka, set aside
• cook the pasta until al dente and drain
• heat the smoked salmon strips through the sauce, add the cream and adjust seasoning to taste
• stir the sauce through the cooked pasta and serve
• sprinkle over parmesan and fresh rocket

Born up a tree!