Penne with Vodka Sauce (with or without shrimp)

This is the basic recipe for penne with vodka sauce. Some people like to add shrimp so I will post this with shrimp, but if you are a purist and just like it plain, leave it out.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon butter
1 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
1/2 cup vodka
6 tablespoons whipping cream (aka heavy cream)
1 lb. uncooked, medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb. penne pasta

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes with their juices and bring to boil, crushing tomatoes with back of spoon. Reduce heat, add chopped basil and simmer 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add vodka and cream and boil 3 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite; drain well. Add pasta to sauce in skillet and stir through. Divide pasta among plates. Garnish with basil and serve. If you don't add shrimp, finish with alittle hot pepper flakes.