Sunday, June 29, 2008
Food, Recipes

Celebrating life

Rigatoni a la vodka at Vita

By Tony LaRocco

As many of you might remember, several years ago I was the original owner of Fratelli di Napoli in Buckhead. This concept brought Italian, family-style menus to the forefront of Atlanta’s dining scene. Many restaurant-goers in Atlanta favored the simple, generous dishes we created at Fratelli di Napoli.

Before opening my new restaurant this spring, I had plenty of time to reflect on my life and the many pleasures I have experienced. Looking back, it didn’t take me long to realize the simplest things in life are what count the most. If I was to compile a list of what makes my life worth living, I would have to say family, friends, great food and wine would always be at the top. So when it came time to name my newest endeavor, the choice was obvious: “Vita,” which directly translated means “life” in several different languages. It may seem like a very simple name yet, to me, it speaks volumes.
When I walk into Vita every morning, I am greeted with the familiar smell of marinara sauce slowly simmering on the stove. This is a smell I most associate with my early childhood, spent in my father’s restaurant. I spent summers helping him perfect recipes and learning the family business. Resources were limited, so we cut the oars from boats in half and used them to stir the marinara sauce in gigantic vats. For as long as I can remember, I’ve known that I would grow up to own a restaurant. There was always something savory bubbling on the stove at my father’s restaurant, and now some of those same dishes are bubbling on my stove.

The menu at Vita, similar to Fratelli’s though not exactly the same, relies heavily on that same marinara sauce, which is the same recipe I helped prepare those many years ago at my father’s restaurant. The key ingredient in my marinara sauce is San Marzano tomatoes, which are imported directly from Naples, Italy. These tomatoes have a much thicker flesh than most tomatoes, and fewer seeds. The flavor is a bit stronger than the typical Roma tomato and much less acidic. They are also a bit less sweet, and many people find the taste to be bittersweet, much like high-quality chocolate. The best thing about these tomatoes is that while cooking, their taste doesn’t diminish with heat like so many other ingredients can. With the addition of garlic, basil, oregano, red wine and a little imported olive oil, the perfect marinara sauce practically makes itself.

This sauce is very versatile and can be used in a myriad of dishes including chicken, pork, seafood, pasta or veal. One of my favorite dishes, and a signature first at Fratelli di Napoli and now at Vita, is our rigatoni a la vodka. This recipe features a fabulous vodka sauce, which is basically a combination of my classic marinara sauce and a cream sauce. Rich in flavor, this sauce typically contains tomatoes (or in this case, my marinara sauce), cream, vodka, olive oil, garlic and seasonings. This creamy, smooth textured pasta sauce goes well with penne, ravioli, rigatoni, tortellini, or ziti pasta as well as on some poultry dishes or bruschetta appetizers. In this dish, it is combined with a mixture of rigatoni pasta, mushrooms and parmesan cheese. Rigatoni a la vodka is perfect for a simple Sunday supper or a dinner party for friends.

I’ve always derived a lot of pleasure from sharing my knowledge of great food and recipes with friends. I hope that in sharing these recipes with your friends and family that you will derive the same pleasure as I have. SP
Tony LaRocco is the owner of Vita. 2110 Peachtree Road. 404-367-8482. www.Vitaatl.com.

RIGATONI A LA VODKA

Serves 4 to 6

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cans    whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
• 1medium onion (peeled and chopped)
• 3 cloves fresh chopped garlic
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoon basil (dry)
• 1 tablespoon oregano (dry)
• 4 ounces red wine
• 2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

In a stock pot, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add basil, oregano and red wine, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Lower heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Break up tomatoes, and mix entire sauce until smooth.

Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 quarts heavy cream
• 2 quarts marinara sauce
• 24 ounces butter
• 4 ounces fresh chopped garlic
• ½ cup fresh herbs
• 8 ounces vodka
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Instructions
• Sauté in garlic and herbs in butter. Add in vodka. Add heavy cream and boil for 20 minutes. Add marinara and boil for 10 minutes. Add kosher salt and black pepper.
• Rigatoni a la Vodka
• Ingredients
• 1 pound cooked rigatoni pasta
• 4 ounces sautéed mushrooms
• 8 ounces vodka sauce
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

Heat pasta in pasta bath. In sauté pan, heat sauce and mushroom together until bubbling. Toss pasta, cheese and sauce together, coating all well. Serve in hot pasta bowl.