About this episode
A 1974 Italian cookbook, a Bologna nightclub, and a dish that earned the nickname "disco pasta" — Penne alla Vodka has no codified recipe, no agreed-upon ingredient list, and was once called "disgusting" by the president of the Italian Academy of Cuisine. So why does it persist?
This week, we're tracing the dish from its murky Italian origins to its Italian-American identity crisis — and devising our own version along the way. We break down why vodka, a flavorless spirit, actually extracts flavor compounds from tomatoes that water and fat can't reach, debate whether cream is a non-negotiable, and talk through why Carbone's famous Spicy Rigatoni skips the vodka entirely.
The cocktail: The Disco MiTo — vodka, Campari, Cocchi di Torino, orange bitters, lemon peel. A vodka riff on the Negroni, stirred and served up.
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Thanks to all of this week’s partners:
El Ateo Tequila: https://pkgdgroup.com/#our_brands/
Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/
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