Gonzaga's Rigatoni ala Vodka

Gonzaga's Rigatoni ala Vodka

I have long loved dishes that surprise. The Vodka in this creamy sauce sneaks up on you and is quite delightful. I pray that through the intercession of St. Aloysius Gonzaga this dish might grace you with pleasant surprises.
(Serves 4)

Ingredients

    * 3 lg. cans pureed tomatoes
    * 1 lg. can tomato sauce
    * 3 lg. cloves garlic, crushed
    * 1 carrot, minced
    * 1 celery stalk, minced
    * 1 med. onion, minced
    * 1/2 lb. sausage
    * 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. rosemary
    * 2 tsp. Italian herbs
    * 2 leaves basil
    * 1/4 tsp. thyme
    * 3 tbsp. olive oil

Cooking Instructions

Saute sausage 20 minutes on medium heat. Add celery, carrot, onion and garlic in oil and simmer another 5 minutes. Add seasonings, then tomatoes. Bring to a boil and add tomato sauce. Cook 1 to 1 1/2 hours on low heat. Stir frequently. Salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk 1 egg yolk in 1 cup heavy cream. Add 1/4 cup vodka, 1/4 cup fresh parsley and 1/2 cup imported Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Add tomato sauce until you get desired color. (Should be peach). Spoon over cooked rigatoni noodles. Toss and add extra cheese to taste.
Enjoy.


St. Aloysius Gonzaga is the patron for: AIDS care-givers, AIDS patients, Jesuit students, relief from pestilence, sore eyes, teenagers and young people. Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington is a Jesuit University named after St. Aloysius Gonzaga. Aloysius was an Italian noble who grew up in a castle. He was the son of a compulsive gambler and the cousin of St. Rudolph Acquaviva. He was trained from age four as a soldier and courtier. Aloysius suffered from kidney disease which he considered a blessing as it left him bed-ridden with time for prayer. While still a boy himself, he taught catechism to poor boys. Aloysius received First Communion from St. Charles Borromeo. At the age of 18 he signed away his legal claim to his family's lands and title to his brother, and became a Jesuit novice. He was the spiritual student of St. Robert Bellarmine. Aloysius tended to the plague victims in Rome in the outbreak of 1591.