Must-try dish: A pasta with serious kick

Is that the full name?

Yeap, it’s Spicy vodka rigatoni, but it wasn’t even on the menu in the beginning. It started as a secret, but it was so good that it became Insta-famous, the people demanded it and now it’s a much-loved regular.

Where do you get it?

Matteo Double Bay, 29 Bay Street, Double Bay NSW 2028

Why is it a winner?

Combine tomatoes, cream, chilli and two shots of vodka, toss through al dente rigatoni, and what do you get? A light, creamy pasta dish that’s a little bit spicy but a lot delicious. The vodka makes the rose pink sauce seriously smooth. Showered in parmigiano, this is the little pasta dish that could and did become a cult favourite. While using vodka in pasta is fairly new to us in Australia, in America penne alla vodka has been a favourite in red sauce joints in New York City and beyond for decades. In Sydney, we are very lucky that Matteo decided to let us in on this no-longer-secret sauce. Grazie Matteo!

Anything else to know?

Order it with a glass (or bottle, why not?) of the Fattoria Uccelliera soluva sangiovese and you’ll understand that the “Italians do it better” sign on the wall at Matteo isn’t just there for decoration…

Also psst, while it’s not on the menu at Matteo Downtown, if you ask very nicely they will make it for you. And tell them Dish Cult sent you!