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Start by pouring half a cup of vodka into a bowl and adding a tablespoon of black peppercorns.
Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves.
Chop the parsley and chiffonade the basil by rolling the leaves and slicing them thinly.
If using, roll up the Italian cured meats and slice them into thin strips.
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, along with the diced onion and minced garlic.
Sauté until the onions are translucent and fully cooked.
Next, crush a large can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes by hand and add them to the pan.
Rinse the can with a little water and add that to the pan as well.
Allow the mixture to reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated, which should take about 20 minutes.
Once reduced, strain out the peppercorns and let the sauce simmer for an additional 30 to 60 seconds before removing it from the heat.
Stir in the sliced Italian meats and about a cup of heavy cream into the sauce.
In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the penne pasta until it is almost al dente.
Bring the sauce back to a gentle simmer and add the cooked pasta along with some reserved pasta water to finish cooking.
Fold in the minced parsley and chiffonaded basil just before serving.
Serve the dish with grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.