Make Carbone’s famed pasta dish at home

Carbone in Greenwich Village is one of the best Italian restaurants around, and it’s renowned for its spot-on renditions of classic ItalianAmerican favorites.

One of the stars of its menu is a simple platter of rigatoni coated in a creamy, spicy sauce (called Spicy Rigatoni Vodka on the menu, even though it doesn’t actually contain any vodka), and it can easily be replicated in your kitchen with just a handful of pantry staples.

New York-based recipe developer, blogger and “Food Network Star” finalist Jason Goldstein has created a copycat version of Carbone’s recipe, and you might already have all the ingredients handy.

Carbone’s recipe traditionally starts with Calabrian chili paste. If you don’t have that available, you can approximate the flavor by cooking one 6ounce can of tomato paste in a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. After a couple minutes, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of red chili flakes, depending on how spicy you like it.

Then, add three chopped garlic cloves and let cook for 30 seconds before adding 2 cups of cream. Whisk until all the tomato paste has dissolved and let the sauce continue to cook until slightly thickened, about two minutes. Add 1 pound of cooked rigatoni or penne and stir to combine.

This rich, hearty and comforting dish isn’t just super easy to make with just a handful of ingredients, it also happens to be one of the best pasta dishes you’ll find anywhere.

Copycat Carbone’s Spicy Rigatoni Vodka