This Mistake Totally Ruins Homemade Vodka Sauce

Penne alla vodka is a classic for a reason. The vodka sauce — which is, essentially, a creamier version of a classic tomato sauce — can instantly elevate a basic bowl of pasta (even if you don't know exactly what the vodka does to the sauce, which our article can explain). And if you're trying to perfect a homemade vodka sauce, then you need to know about this mistake that you should look out for, according to an expert who spoke with Daily Meal. The expert in question is Dan Pelosi, who's known as GrossyPelosi on his blog and who has partnered with McCain Regen Fries to promote regenerative farming.

The mistake you definitely don't want to make when cooking the sauce, per Pelosi, is to boil it instead of letting it simmer. Pelosi explains, "If you boil it, your cream will curdle, and [there are] many things you can reverse in cooking, but you cannot reverse from when your cream starts to curdle."

If you're unfamiliar, the difference between boiling and simmering is pretty simple. Simmering occurs at a cooler temperature than boiling (between 180 and 190 degrees Fahrenheit, versus 212 degrees Fahrenheit), and it's used for a longer and slower cook.

After you've put in all the hard work of making the sauce, Dan Pelosi has one more tip: "If you can, you should make it and serve it immediately because that's really its peak." Whether incorporated into a pasta dish or smothered over a plate of french fries (of which Pelosi is a fan), you'll want to enjoy the vodka sauce at its freshest.

However, that doesn't mean it won't taste good if you need to reheat it; after all, if you're making a big batch of pasta, you'll likely have leftovers. Pelosi says, "It is reheatable with a little bit more pasta water. The pasta water is kind of the magic that brings it all together."

With this in mind, you'll want to make sure to save the extra pasta water when you're cooking the dish, storing it in a resealable container. This trick works if you're heating it up on the stove or in the microwave later — just add a few spoonfuls of the reserved water before heating. Once hot, the pasta will taste almost as good as new.