Live Pasta Demo Results in Tasty Night in Downtown Manhattan Beach

Aroma from simmering pasta with vodka sauce wafted through Pages: A Bookstore Thursday night. The savory demo was part of a promotion for local cookbook maven Linda Steidel's new title, For Every Season There is a Pasta. 

Thursday's dish involved only a few ingredients as Steidel sought to demonstrate that less is more, a common practice in Italian cuisine, she said.

"It's real food, for real people," said cookbook photographer Mark Choate. 

Steidel plans to complete her next title in the series, For Every Season There is a Dessert, in July.

Pasta with Vodka Sauce

Serves six:

• 1 pound penne or other tubular pasta
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup vodka
• 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 can imported Italian plum tomatoes, drained and pureed
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley finely chopped for garnish

1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the penne until al dente, 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the vodka and hot pepper and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the pureed tomatoes and cream and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Season with salt.
3. When pasta is al dente, drain well and pour into a skillet with the hot sauce. Reduce the heat to low, add the cheese and mix thoroughly. Pour into a heated bowl and serve at once with the chopped parsley on top.

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