TIP: Any leftover vodka sauce can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 30 days.
Ingredients
Homemade Noodles (page 33 in Magnolia Table Cookbook, Volume 2)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup for dusting
6 large eggs
12 large egg yolks
Vodka Sauce
6 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup diced onions
1/4 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup diced celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup vodka
Three 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
3 ounces shaved Parmesan, for garnish (optional)
Directions
To make the homemade noodles: Place the flour in a large bowl or on a clean work surface and make a well in the center. Add the eggs and egg yolks to the well. Knead to incorporate all the flour and roll dough into a ball (adding a little more flour if the dough is too sticky), then cover with a damp paper towel. Allow the dough to rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a round about 1/8 inch thick. It does not need to be perfect. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into strips about 1/4 inch wide. (Again, they don’t have to be perfectly even.)
To make the pasta sauce: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 more minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the vodka and cook, scraping all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the tomatoes, herbs, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and sugar and stir to combine. Raise the heat to medium high and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover the pot with a lid. Let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and let it simmer for 10 more minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the 4 tablespoons of salt. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook until tender, 60 to 90 seconds.
In a blender, combine the tomato sauce with the heavy cream and blend until completely smooth. Return the sauce to the pot, cover with a lid, and hold over low heat until ready to serve.
In a large bowl, toss the pasta with about 1/4 cup of the vodka sauce. Portion and serve the pasta, top with more sauce as desired, and garnish with chopped basil and shaved Parmesan cheese, if using.