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Going purely on instinct, you likely wouldn’t consider using

vodka, a decidedly un-Italian spirit, in a pasta recipe. Yet somehow, these two seemingly disparate ingredients have been working hand-in-hand in penne alla vodka since it became popular in the 1970s and 1980s. However, many people wonder about the role vodka plays in this popular pasta sauce.

As it turns out, vodka lends something critical to the sauce. Chef Stephen Cusato, a social media star, elaborates on the role of vodka in his popular YouTube channel. Cusato credits Harold McGee, a prominent food science writer who addressed the topic in his book “On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen”.

“If you simply add vodka to a dish, it can overpower it,” Cusato explained. “However, much like other ingredients, when you reduce vodka down, it’s going to enhance flavors that weren’t as prominent before, interacting with the tomatoes to underscore their taste”. In essence, vodka fortifies the flavors from components such as tomatoes. Interesting. But there’s even more to know about the science behind penne alla vodka.

There are two reasons why adding vodka can elevate your creamy tomato pasta sauce. First is that it acts as an emulsifier to smoothly combine the acidity of the tomatoes with the rich, fatty cream, which may otherwise separate when used together. Adding the spirit helps achieve the perfectly creamy texture of vodka sauce. At this point, you might be wondering whether other types of alcohol could be used for this purpose. While the answer is yes, vodka has a distinct advantage over other kinds when used in this application, as it has the least distinctive flavor profile.

The second reason is that when vodka is added in small amounts, the alcohol is known to unleash a bouquet of flavors in the tomatoes that often remain untapped. It is key to remember that smaller is better in this instance, as pointed out by Chef Stephen Cusato in his tutorial. So be sure not to overdo it with the vodka.

Chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt tested out various ways to incorporate vodka in vodka cream sauce to find the most delicious way possible. He tested versions of the sauce that ranged from 4% to 1% ABV (alcohol by volume), and he tried tasting the sauce at different points in the cooking process. He concluded in Serious Eats: “For the tastiest vodka sauce, add ¼ cup vodka per quart of sauce and let it simmer seven minutes.” Otherwise, the alcohol hasn’t dissipated and tastes too strong. Another tip recommended by chef Stephen Cusato in the YouTube video is to make sure you first reduce the tomatoes until they are highly concentrated (which takes about 30 minutes).

So while vodka does indeed add something to the sauce, keep in mind the most important rules: Don’t use too much, and let it cook long enough to develop the flavors and dissipate the alcohol.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.