Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce

I'm posting this recipe as an example of the kind of food I have been eating since I started Weight Watchers. This is a WW recipe (from the Simply the Best: Italian cookbook). Hard to believe, right? It is so good, and so easy and fast to make (it takes longer for the pasta water to boil than it does to make the whole meal!). I made it for dinner last night.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces "short" pasta (penne, rigatoni, gemelli, fusili, etc.)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 3 shallots, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  
• 2 tbsp vodka
• 1/4 cup cream
• 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Get a pot of salted water going for the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce:

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and add the vodka and cream. Stir to combine and do not let the mixture boil. Once the pasta is done, drain and add it to the sauce in the skillet. Toss to combine. Serve topped with the parsley and Parmesan. (Makes 2 generous to 4 small servings.) Yum!