Crab Ravioli with Tomato Vodka Sauce

The first time tomato vodka sauce crossed my lips was at the local winery just 5 miles from our house. The sauce was flavorful and lightly rich, and proved a refreshing alternative to plain old marinara sauce.  Then just two weeks ago I enjoyed a plate of crab ravioli with tomato vodka sauce at nearby Villa Verone and had to figure out how to replicate it. To make it easy on myself, I searched the internet for a recipe that isn’t too complicated. I found one by the adorable Giada De Laurentiis, but added my own spin on it with a tomato based sauce made from scratch. (Recipe at end of post.)

Tomato Vodka Sauce is surprisingly easy to make if you use a ready-made red sauce.

My preference is to create the sauce from scratch.

Cooking sauce from fresh tomatoes is time-consuming, but the flavor is divine!

I just tire of peeling and de-seeding the tomatoes before cooking, but the end result is totally worth it.

Luckily I had a quart of tomatoes in my pantry that I had cooked down into a sauce and canned.

To save additional time, I used fresh crab ravioli from the store, but one day I intend to make it from scratch.

You can use the Tomato Vodka Sauce on your pasta of choice.  You won’t be disappointed!

Crab Ravioli with Tomato Vodka Sauce

1 quart tomato or marinara sauce
1 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream (substitute light cream to cut calories and fat)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound fresh crab ravioli, or pasta of your choice

Heat tomato sauce and vodka in a large skillet and simmer over low heat until sauce reduces by about one-fourth. cook for 20 minutes, stirring often. Add the cream to the tomato and vodka sauce and cook over low heat until sauce is heated. Stir in the grated cheese until melted.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain the ravioli and divide among plates. Top with the tomato vodka sauce.

Sharing this post at Metamorphosis Monday, Wow Us Wednesday