Pasta gets cooked over here at least twice a week (and then rice three times, and potatoes twice). Like clockwork. But I have to admit that pasta is my favorite thing to cook. Italian styled traditional dishes are my speciality. This dish I’m about to share really could have been served without any shrimp (or chicken/meat for that matter). The inspiration was actually a meatless recipe. It’s extremely rich and filling but like Emeril, I always have to kick things up a notch. Not as extravagantly as he does, but still I try.
Ingredients:
1 box of penne
3 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used vermouth)
1/8 dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
about 15-18 large uncooked tail-on shrimp
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 roasted red pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (I used Asiago)
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Gently saute the garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about one minute.
3. Increase the heat to medium high and add the tomatoes, roasted red pepper, wine, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and then add cheese and heavy cream. Cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Lastly, add shrimp for about 4-5 minutes. Be careful not to let them overcook as you’ll want them to be succulent.
This was the penne without shrimp. Can you see how creamy and tantalizing it is?
And let’s now, everybody, welcome the shrimp to the party
I, ofcourse, will be making this over and over again. I highly recommend that you try it too! Remember you can add chicken or anything your heart desires or it can also be enjoyed sans seafood/poultry/meat.
Bye For Now…..
That´s a lovely dish but I have to confess that the word penne always makes me giggle as my dad used to run a shop and a lady always used to come in who thought she was a whizz at speaking Italian. Now, I know I shouldn´t laugh but she always asked for half a kilo of pene instead of penne and there is a HUGE difference as the second is the pasta we know and love and the first is a rather singular part of the male anatomy ;)
You know even before I finished reading the comment I laughed because I knew where it was going! And then I read and laughed even more. Poor woman.
;)
Yum! One of my favorite preparations of pasta. I love the vermouth, and vodka is good too!
Yes vodka I’ve tried and I totally agree with you. It’s really great with the tomatoes in the sauce.
Good recipe. I’m a huge pasta fan too, and always looking for new ideas. And I usually use vermouth instead of white wine – a Julia Child trick I learned long ago, for when you don’t want to open a bottle of wine just for a recipe. Anyway, very nice recipe – thanks.
So true. I love vermouth just as much as wine in these pasta – tomato sauce dishes. The alcohol always enhance the flavor.
This looks so delicious – that cream sauce is truly the piece de resistance :D
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
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Thank you so much!
Your pasta looks delicious! I love the addition of cream, something I never think of, yet I should consider doing!
Thank you Gerlinde! Try a little bit of cream – rich and delicious!
This reminds me of a Southwest Pasta we served in a restaurant I worked in once. It looks super! I make lotsa pasta here, too! Cheap, filling, and you can put ANYTHING in it. Hurray for shrimp party!
So true Heather @ being able to put almost anything in it!
This looks so good! I love pasta with any kind of tomato cream sauce.
Thank you Maggie!
wow! You’re making me so hungry!!! looks great! the shrimp is a MUST-have. Love shrimps in my pasta!
I’m with you on the shrimp being a must-have! I loovveeee me some shrimp and pasta!
What i love about pasta, it’s always easy to make. Everything comes together and you can have dinner or lunch ready just in a reasonable time :)
Pasta is a great dinner option. Looks good!
This seriously looks too good, I am obsessed with pasta! Can never have too much of it IMO.
That pasta looks and sounds really good!
Pasta and Shrimps, you got me there