Vodka Pasta Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb pasta, of choice (I prefer penne)
1/2 cup vodka (I use Smirnoff or comparable quality)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb chopped ham or 1/2 lb prosciutto
1 1/2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
3 tablespoons dried basil leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
16 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup heavy whipping cream (1/2 pint)
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a medium pot on 5/10.
Cut the garlic, onion, and herbs (if using fresh) while the oil heats up.
Saute the garlic, onion, seasonings, and ham/prosciutto until the meat is browned.
Pour in vodka with the browned ham/prosciutto.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
While sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to package directions until al-dente.
After sauce has simmered for 10 minutes, most of the alcohol smell should have dissipated.
Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes (or longer if desired, longer allows flavors to mix more).