Vodka Potstickers

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage (broken into nice chunks)
• 1 lb Frozen potstickers (pork or chicken filling works well)
• 2 tbsp Vodka (optional, for deglazing)
• 0.25 cup Water (for steaming)
• 24 oz Marinara sauce (Carbone or high-quality jarred sauce)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
• 0.5 tsp White pepper
• 0.5 tsp Onion powder
• 0.5 tsp Chicken bouillon (powdered)
• 0.5 cup Heavy cream
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• 0.5 cup Ricotta cheese (for dolloping)
• Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into nice chunks rather than a fine crumble. Once cooked, remove the sausage from the pan and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

2. 2

   Place the frozen potstickers into the pan with the sausage grease. Sear them for 3 to 4 minutes until the bottoms (or sides) are golden brown.

3. 3

   Add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan and immediately cover with a lid. Steam the potstickers until the water has evaporated and they are cooked through.

4. 4

   Remove the lid and add a splash of vodka (about 2 tablespoons) if desired. Let it cook down for about 1 minute to burn off the alcohol.

5. 5

   Return the cooked Italian sausage to the pan with the potstickers and toss them together.

6. 6

   Pour in the jarred marinara sauce. Stir in the Italian seasoning, white pepper, onion powder, and chicken bouillon.

7. 7

   Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the mixture and stir until the sauce is creamy and well combined.

8. 8

   Serve the potstickers hot, topped with dollops of fresh ricotta cheese, more grated Parmesan, and chopped parsley.

Notes

The author recommends using a high-quality sauce like Carbone for the best flavor. While traditional potstickers are only browned on the bottom, for this fusion dish, it is fine if multiple sides get crispy during the sear.

Nutrition per serving

• Main Course
• Fusion
• Italian-Asian
• Pasta
• Potstickers
• Vodka Sauce
• Quick Dinner