[2] The exact origins of penne alla vodka are unclear, and to some extent the subject of urban legend and folklore.

The first use of vodka in a pasta dish recorded in a cookbook is attested to 1974, when the Italian actor Ugo Tognazzi published the cookbook L'Abbuffone (meaning 'the bouffe-men', named after Tognazzi's movie La Grande Bouffe), which included his recipe of pasta all'infuriata (lit.

[4] One cookbook claims that it was invented in the 1980s by a Roman chef for a vodka company that wanted to popularize its product in Italy.

[10][11] Disco Sauce: The True Story of Penne Alla Vodka was released in 2022 by director Roberto Serrini.

The May 4th, 2024, episode of Saturday Night Live featured a sketch about penne alla vodka in which it was depicted as a tolerated, but not particularly good, dish often served at events such as weddings, funerals, and anniversaries.