The Mysterious Origins Of Vodka Pasta Sauce

The U.S. is home to a diversity of fusion cuisines, but few have achieved the ubiquity of Italian-American food. From spaghetti and meatballs to garlic bread, such dishes have become assimilated classics, associated as "Italian" foods that aren't actually Italian at all. Some emerged in Italy and then took on new forms, while others are entirely New World creations. And many — like the spicy delights of vodka pasta sauce — are murky in-between, with contentious theories pointing towards both continents.

What's clear is that vodka and tomatoes make the perfect sauce pairing, with the booze enhancing savory notes all the while adding a nice bite. Most popularly, the creation is smoothened out with cream, and served on penne, crafting a dish that's equal parts spicy, sweet, and comforting. It's no surprise then, that many seek accreditation to such a delectable creation. Restaurants in Rome, Bologna, and New York City all vie for the origin story, obfuscating the pasta dish in a creamy murkiness. And in the details, the food's multicultural roots are revealed.

Vodka pasta sauce isn't an old-school Italian classic; the dish only became popular in the 1970s. On the Atlantic Coast in the U.S., it started off as a humble, typically home-cooked classic. Especially popular in New York City, the metropolis is a logical candidate for its invention. Many attribute Chef Luigi Franzese of Orsini Restaurant to first crafting the dish in the city. While others claim Italian chef Armando Mei concocted his first spin only a few blocks away as early as 1967. Delineating the invention as opposed to popularity is tricky. Into the 1970s, the dish became a popular restaurant star, with critics comparing many versions. Such a culture laid the foundation for Carbone's, which achieved cult status through the sauce and their iconic chicken parm.

Nevertheless, some cite vodka sauce emerged in Italy, and then came stateside. After all, the first printed mention occurred in 1974, in the Italian actor Ugo Tognazzi's memoir and cookbook "L'Abbuffone." Others believe Dante in Bologna was the first eatery to meld the ingredients. Additionally, there's a particularly impressionable tale that the pasta sauce kicked off in Rome as a promotion for a vodka company. Proving a singular theory will forever be impossible, but in the process, one takeaway is for certain: Vodka pasta sauce is an appealing combination that's here to stay.