A shrimp pasta dish is one of those dishes I can count on when I’m stuck for what to make. Frozen shrimp defrost quickly and the ingredients are so easy to cook off, no previous prep required. Having the shrimp thawed before you get in the kitchen to cook is the planner’s advantage, and can make getting this meal on the table in 20 minutes an absolute possibility. I typically start from frozen shrimp and can still have this served to the family within the hour. Don’t have rapini on hand, swap in any leafy green you got – they all work in this recipe!
Yields:
4 servings
Ingredients:
- Shrimp, 450g, peel and deveined
- Rapini (aka. Broccoli rabe), 1 bunch
- Onion, 1 medium, sliced julienne
- Garlic, 2 cloves, puree
- Good quality olive oil, ½ cup
- Red chili flakes 1 tbsp.
- White wine ¼ cup
- Pasta (any long or short cut will do), 450g
- Grana Padano cheese, ½ – 1 cup, freshly grated
What you’ll need:
- Prep bowls
- Colander
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Zester
- Pasta pot
- Large saucepan or wok
- Slotted spoon
- Tongs
What to do:
Prepare the shrimp by peeling, deveining and washing under cold water. Set aside in a colander to drain excess water.
Gather the produce and prep. Rapini (broccoli rabe) is washed under cold running water then chopped in 1” inch lengths. Peel and slice a medium sized onion and purée the cloves of garlic. I like to do this quickly with a zester but the classical knife blade method also does the trick. Boil a big pot of water for the pasta.
Heat ¼ cup (half) of the olive oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat. Add in the sliced onion. Once fragrant add in the garlic and shrimp (that has been seasoned with salt and pepper). Add in white wine and chili flakes and cook until shrimp turns pink. Remove the shrimp (use a slotted spoon to scoop them out) so that they do not over cook.
Add the pasta into the pot of boiling water and cook for approximately 8 minutes. Consult with the cooking directions found on the packaging.
Add in the rest of the oil and rapini on medium heat. Season with salt, then cover and cook until fork tender. Lower heat if needed so as not to over cook the greens. Once they are just about done, add the shrimp and juices back in to allow a couple minutes for the flavors to blend.
Drain the pasta and reserve a small amount of pasta water to add into the saucepan mixture. Stir until the shrimp pasta is well coated. Remove from the heat and add in the grated cheese. Stir once more so that cheese is spread throughout and serve.