Fill a Dutch oven or a large soup pot three-quarters full with water over high heat. Add 4 tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of starchy water.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan oven over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to make sure garlic does not burn. Add tomato paste and red pepper flakes and continue to cook, stirring often, 5–7 minutes. Add vodka, and heavy cream; stirring constantly until a smooth sauce forms. Remove from heat. Add ¼ cup or more of starchy water, if needed to thin out sauce.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked pasta to pan with the vodka sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan, season with salt to taste and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh basil. Enjoy!
