Shrimp Piccata Pasta

Main Course

Recipe courtesy of Cook's Country: Big Flavors from Italian America

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients: 
  • 1 pound linguine
  • Table salt for cooking pasta
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and halved lengthwise
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

 

Shrimp Piccata Pasta

Click image to enlarge

Method: 

Bring 4 quarts water to boil In large pot for pasta.  Add  pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until just opaque, about 1 minute. Transfer to large plate. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add wine, increase heat to high, and simmer until liquid is reduced and syrupy, about 2 minutes. Add clam juice and lemon juice, bring to boil, and cook until mixture is reduced to ⅓ cup, about 8 minutes.

Add capers, parsley, butter, and shrimp and its sauce to pasta and toss to combine until butter melts and shrimp are warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adding reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve.






Note on Capers from Cook’s Country:



These tiny green spheres are actually flower buds harvested from a spiny shrub (Capparis spinosa) that thrives in the hot, dry climate of countries such as Italy, Turkey, and Spain. Capers packed in salt are especially tender and often have a wider range of delicate flavors, but they must be repeatedly rinsed before use, and their nuanced flavors are easily overshadowed in recipes. For everyday cooking, we like the convenience of brined capers. We prefer the small size known as non pareils and our favorite brand is Reese Non Pareil Capers. They have a pleasantly firm texture and are perfectly “salty” and “tangy” without overwhelming other flavors, even the delicate shrimp in this recipe.

Louisiana Recipes Weekly



 

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