The dirty little secret about Penne alla Vodka is not the vodka but the hefty amount of heavy cream. Vodka is colorless, odorless, and without much flavor—not really attributes of a superstar ingredient. It's the combination of cream and tomato sauce that gives this dish its signature flavor. The traditional cream is swapped here for low-fat Greek yogurt.








Servings: Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces whole wheat penne
  • 2 cups Rocco's How Low Can You Go Low-Fat Marinara Sauce (page 206) , or store-bought low-fat marinara
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper
  • 1 container (7 ounces) 2 percent Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • Directions
    Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, about 9 minutes; drain.

    While the pasta is cooking, bring the marinara sauce and crushed red pepper to a simmer in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat.Cook the sauce, stirring it occasionally with a heat- resistant rubber spatula, until it is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove the sauté pan from the heat.

    Stir about 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce into the yogurt until smooth (this tempers it and prevents the yogurt from curdling). Then whisk the yogurt mixture back into the marinara sauce.

    In a large serving bowl, toss the sauce with the drained penne and the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the cheese on top, and serve.
    Nutritional Information
     Before: 60g fat, 618 calories

    After: 4.8g fat, 320 calories

    18g protein, 55g carbohydrates, 11mg cholesterol, 6g fiber, 416mg sodium
     
    Healthy Tips:

    Whole-wheat pasta has a dense texture that makes it a little tougher than regular pasta. Some people like that chewiness; some don't. If you're in the latter category, overcook it a bit. Toward the end of the cooking time, keep testing it until it's as tender as you like it.

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