This recipe can be adapted to your own taste. If you want to use a meat sausage, by all means, feel free. I used in this recipe an Italian-flavoured veggie version. If you don’t want vodka in your sauce, simply omit. And if you don’t want cheese or cream, you can omit those too as the sauce is great without the cream. Add in additional vegetables if you like. And make sure you drink a big glass of wine with it.

1. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Meanwhile, you can start cooking your pasta.

2. Add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 min or so.

3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 sec.

4. Stir in the can of tomatoes (with their juices) and cook until heated through, about 3-4 min.

5. Add in the vodka, and cook, stirring the sauce occasionally, for about 5 min.

6. Add in the cream, spinach and basil leaves, and cooked sausage, stirring to thoroughly combine.

7. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, mixing to toss the pasta with sauce. Add in some of the pasta water if you would like to adjust the consistency of the sauce at all (I didn’t find I needed to, but at least you can have the option here.)

8. Top the pasta with the mozzarella and additional basil leaves (if desired) and serve immediately.

Enjoy!