Baked Vodka Rigatoni w/ Sambal

---

SERVES 4

PREP TIME: 30 MINS

COOK TIME: 20 MINS

---

---

Ingredients

---

FOR THE PASTA

500G RIGATONI

1 TBSP EVOO

3 SMALL SHALLOTS, SLICED LONGWAYS

1/2 CUP SAMBAL

2 TBSP PASSATA

2 TBSP PREMIUM VODKA

250ML THICKENED CREAM

1/3 CUP FINELY GRATED PARMESAN (PLUS MORE FOR SERVING)

2 TBSP DICED MOZZARELLA

2 TBSP BREADCRUMBS

1/2 CUP RESERVED PASTA WATER

FOR THE SAMBAL

1 CUBE SHRIMP PASTE (BELACHAN)

8 DRIED CHILLIES, DE-SEEDED* DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SPICE YOU LIKE

4 TO 5 LONG RED CHILLIES, DE-SEEDED AND ROUGHLY CHOPPED

1 LEMONGRASS STALK, ROUGHLY CHOPPED AND WHITE PART ONLY

5 GARLIC CLOVES

1/3 TO 1/2 CUP RESERVED CHILLI REHYDRATING LIQUID

4 SHALLOTS, ROUGHLY CHOPPED

RESERVE FOR COOKING OFF

1 HEAPED TABLESPOON OF TAMARIND

TEASPOON SALT

2 TSP BROWN SUGAR

1/4 CUP NEUTRAL OIL

TO SERVE

FRIED SHALLOTS

SPRING ONION CURLS, 2X SPRING ONION TOPS THINLY SLICED LONGWAYS AND SOAKED IN AN ICE BATH FOR 10 MINUTES

FINELY GRATED PARMESAN

CHILLI OIL/CRISP

---

Equipment

---

FOOD PROCESSOR

SLOTTED SPOON

GARLIC MINCER

STRAINER

LARGE POT

LARGE FRYPAN OR SAUTÉPAN

---

Method

---

1. BEGIN BY CHOPPING THE ENDS OFF THE DRIED CHILLIES TO DE-SEED (IF YOU’RE DOING THIS) BEFORE REHYDRATING. DO SO BY PLACING INTO A BOWL AND POURING WARM/HOT WATER OVER. SET ASIDE FOR 30 MINUTES BEFORE STRAINING, RESERVING 1/3 TO 1/2 CUP LIQUID

2. TOAST SHRIMP CUBE FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES UNTIL FRAGRANT

3. EXCEPT FOR THE INGREDIENTS MARKED UNDER ‘RESERVE FOR COOKING OFF’, PLACE ALL SAMBAL INGREDIENTS IN A FOOD PROCESSOR AND PULSE UNTIL A COARSE PASTE FORMS. YOU MIGHT NEED TO USE A SPATULA TO SCRAPE DOWN THE SIDES HALFWAY THROUGH

4. IN A LARGE FRYPAN OR SAUTÉPAN, HEAT 1/4 CUP NEUTRAL OIL OVER MEDIUM HEAT. ADD PASTE AND COOK OFF FOR AROUND 10 MINUTES, STIRRING OCCASIONALLY. YOU’RE AIMING FOR A SUPER AROMATIC PASTE THAT DEEPENS IN COLOUR. AT ABOUT THE 8 MINUTE MARK, STIR THROUGH SALT, TAMARIND PASTE AND SUGAR, STIRRING TO COMBINE. REMOVE FROM HEAT AND PLACE INTO A BOWL

5. AT THIS STAGE, TURN YOUR OVEN TO 180 ON THE FAN GRILL SETTING

6. IN THE SAME FRYPAN, SAUTÉ SHALLOTS IN A TABLESPOON OF EVOO. ADD THE SAMBAL AND PASSATA, TOSSING TO COAT SHALLOTS. ADD VODKA, COOKING OFF FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES. LASTLY, ADD THE CREAM, STIRRING QUICKLY TO BRING SAUCE TOGETHER

7. BRING A LARGE POT OF SALTED WATER TO THE BOIL. ADD RIGATONI AND COOK UNTIL AL DENTE OR PER PACKET INSTRUCTIONS. STRAIN RESERVING 1/2 CUP PASTA WATER

8. IN SPOONFULS, ADD YOUR RIGATONI TO THE SAUCE WITH A SPLASH OF PASTA WATER, TOSSING TO COAT. REPEAT UNTIL ALL COMBINED. SCATTER MOZZARELLA, GRATED PARMESAN — TOSSING THROUGH, FINISHING WITH BREADCRUMBS AND GRATED PARMESAN

9. BAKE IN THE OVEN FOR 8 TO 9 MINUTES OR UNTIL GOLDEN AND SLIGHTLY MELTED ON TOP

10. FINISH WITH MORE PARMESAN, CHILLI CRISP AND SCATTERED SPRING ONION CURLS — ENJOY!

---