This is one of my go-to weekday recipes to prepare quickly after work. There are several quick pasta dishes that I have used, but this is the one I have perfected, and it can be done in less than twenty minutes.
Ingredients
1 lb of shrimp, cleaned and shells removed
1/2 lb of pappardelle pasta
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup of dry vermouth
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
a handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of dried Italian parsley
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
Red pepper flakes to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Romano cheese
Directions
Prepare pasta as directed on the package and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. I use a large deep pot since I place the shrimp in a strainer and place it over the boiling water to steam the shrimp. I place this over the water at the last five minutes of the pasta cooking.
Place the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the shallot, and saute for two minutes; add the tomato paste and saute for one minute. Add cherry tomatoes and saute for five minutes. Add garlic and saute for thirty seconds. Season, pour in vermouth, reduce heat, and simmer until the pasta is done.
Remove shrimp from steamer. Drain pasta and add to skillet; saute for two minutes. If it is a bit dry, add the reserved pasta water. Remove from heat, add shrimp and herbs, and toss to combine.
Plate and sprinkle with cheese.