Black garlic pasta boasts a rich tomato sauce, with sweet and intense black garlic punctuated with a dash of spice.
This dish also makes use of a dash of cream and vodka to produce a sauce that is smooth and long-lasting on the palate, without the need to spend hours over a hot stove.
If you're not already familiar, black garlic made by taking raw garlic and ageing it in a very controlled way with just the right heat and humidity over a long time period so that it ferments, becoming soft, sweet, sticky and distinctively jet black.
To make this dish, you'll first soften onions in oil, then introduce minced black garlic - your kitchen will smell incredible.
Next, you'll add chopped tomatoes and simmer to reduce and intensify the flavours, before adding a glug of vodka and a dash of cream (in the style of penne alla vodka!) to introduce an exceptionally silky finish to the sauce.
To serve, you'll stir through fresh torn basil, plate up and garnish with slivers of that wonderful black garlic. The depth of flavour really stunning!
Here's the full recipe for my black garlic pasta.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium white onion very finely diced
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 6 cloves black garlic (slice 2, mince the rest)
- 325 g dried penne
- 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
- 60 ml vodka
- 1 tbsp double cream (heavy cream) room temperature
- 15 g fresh basil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat.
Add the onions and pinch of salt and pepper.
Fry gently for 5 minutes.
Add the chilli flakes, minced black garlic and butter to the pan.
Fry for another 3-5 minutes until the onions are soft.
Pop your pasta into plenty of boiling water and cook until al dente, which should take 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the tomatoes to your sauce.
Bring up to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the vodka to your sauce and stir through.
Simmer for a minute. Taste to make sure the the alcohol is "cooked out".
Add the cream.
Stir into the sauce.
Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water.
Add the pasta and water to the sauce.
Stir through, then season to taste.
Finally add torn basil leaves, fold through and serve.
Plate up immediately, topped with slivers of black garlic.
Isn't this just a gorgeous, vibrant dish?
Have you tried black garlic before, or cooked with vodka? Let me know in the comments below!
Print this black garlic pasta recipe
Black Garlic Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 6 cloves black garlic mince 4, slice 2
- 325 g (11.5 oz) dried penne pasta
- 400 g (14 oz) canned chopped tomatoes
- 60 ml (¼ cup) vodka
- 1 tbsp double cream (heavy cream) room temperature
- 15 g (½ cup) fresh basil roughly torn
- pinch salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat.
- Add the onions and pinch of salt and pepper, then fry gently for 5 minutes.
- Add the chilli flakes, minced black garlic and butter to the pan and fry for another 3-5 minutes until the onions are soft.
- Pop your pasta into plenty of boiling water and cook until al dente, which should take 8-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the tomatoes to your sauce, bring up to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the vodka to your sauce and stir through. Simmer for a minute, then taste to make sure the the alcohol is "cooked out".
- Now stir the cream into the sauce.
- Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Stir both the pasta and the reserved water into the sauce.
- Finally season to taste, fold in fresh torn basil leaves and serve topped with slivers of black garlic.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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More recipes for garlic lovers
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Paula says
Has anyone actually tried the recipe? I cannot find a single review where anyone has actually made the dish.
Emily Leary says
I wish more people left reviews! Sadly most don't find the time to come back and leave one. I've made it a good number of times but I'm the author!