Penne with vodka sauce

Instructions

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter, eschallots, garlic, chilli flakes and fennel seeds and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, or until the eschallots are softened.
3. Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir evenly to coat the eschallots and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the paste is deep red and beginning to brown. Deglaze the pan for 1-2 minutes by adding the vodka and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits off the base of the pan. Reduce the heat to low.
4. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water in a large heatproof measuring jug and add the cream (this brings up the temperature of the cream so it won't split when you add it to the sauce).
5. Slowly add the cream mixture to the pan, stirring constantly, until a smooth sauce forms. Remove from heat.
6. Once the penne pasta is al dente, add it to the red vodka sauce using a strainer spoon or spider strainer.
7. Gradually add the cheese (reserve some to garnish!), stirring constantly to melt through. The sauce should coat each piece of pasta. If the sauce becomes too thick, add small amounts of pasta water to thin sauce, if needed.
8. Stir the basil leaves through the sauce (reserve a few to garnish!). Divide pasta among bowls. Top with remaining cheese, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, tear basil leaves over and season with black pepper, to taste.