Penne With Creamy Tomato Sauce

6 lbs. Barilla® Penne

12 oz. diced Spanish onion

4 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

84 oz. canned whole tomatoes in juice

1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

3 cups vodka

6 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 oz. thinly sliced garlic

1 1/2 oz. shredded carrot

As needed salt

3 lbs. diced red onion

3 cups heavy cream

Instructions

1. Cook the Barilla® pasta for half the time indicated on the package. Drain pasta and drizzle with some olive oil to prevent from sticking. Place pasta flat on sheet trays or hotel pans and cool in a blast chiller. Alternatively, cool it down in a walk-in cooler. Store in zip lock bags or sealed plastic container; refrigerate and use within several hours.

2. To make the tomato sauce: Heat 6 Tbsp. of the oil in a pot. Saute the Spanish onion and garlic until soft and lightly caramelized. Add the thyme and carrot and saute briefly. Add the tomatoes with their juices; bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring often, until the tomatoes have broken down. Season with salt. Remove and cool.

3. To make the cream sauce: Heat 1 1/2 cups of the oil in a rondeau until it begins to smoke. Add the red onion and caramelize. Add the vodka and reduce by half. Add the tomato sauce and cream and cook until reduced by one third. Remove and cool in batches.

4. For each serving, to order: Reheat 2 cups of pasta in salted boiling water for 40 to 60 seconds. Drain and add to a pan with 1/2 cup creamy tomato sauce. Heat through; toss with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Plate.