Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook your pasta in.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent. Then add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly (about 30 seconds).

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the crushed tomatoes, vodka, crushed red pepper, basil, and oregano. Stir and increase the heat back to medium. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the alcohol has been reduced out.

While the sauce is simmering, cook and drain your pasta according to the package. Reserve 1 cup (250 ml) of pasta water in case you need to thin out the sauce.

Reduce the sauce to low heat and stir in the heavy cream, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. If you feel like your sauce is too thick, you can add a bit of the reserved pasta water to thin it to your liking.

Turn off the heat and mix the bucatini into the sauce with tongs. Top with fresh basil and cracked pepper if desired.