$25 a Plate Dinner in Under 30 Minutes, At Home
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| Puttenesca Pasta with Shrimp |
The simple, boldly flavored sauce is a breeze for anyone with a decent larder and a spatula. The amazingly tender pasta by Esotico Pasta in Silverton, Oregon-- just within my preferred 100-mile local food-gathering radius-- is what elevates this dish to the $25 level. Without it, it would be an ordinary $12 a plate experience. Pop open a bag of their pasta and notice the intense puff of aromatics not typically found in colorful pasta. This time I used their Three Pepper Pasta, and was knocked over by its glorious scent that was perfect for this dish.
Pasta Puttenesca with Shrimp
Serves 4
1 8 oz. package high-quality pasta
4-5 generous generous swirls extra virgin olive oil (3-4 Tablespoons)
1 tin anchovies, finely chopped
3 cloves chopped fresh garlic
A large pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 28 oz. can crushes tomatoes
3 Tablespoons capers
1/2 cup roughly chopped oil-packed black olives or Kalamata olives
1 lb. (+/-) frozen cooked tail-on shrimp, thawed
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh basil or parsley to garnish, to taste
Set a pasta pot full of highly salted water on to boil. The water should taste of the sea.
In a large skillet or saute pan, warm the olive oil at medium-low heat. Add the garlic and chopped anchovies. Stir nearly constantly until garlic is translucent and the anchovies are well broken down, about 4 minutes. It should smell a bit like you imagine heaven.
Raise the heat to medium and add the canned tomatoes, capers, and olives. Stir regularly, condensing the tomato juices and allowing the flavors to come together, about 10 minutes, or about as long as it takes for the pasta water to come to a full rolling boil.
Add the pasta to the water, stirring every few minutes. Follow the package directions for cooking times, testing early for al dente doneness, about 4 minutes for the Esotico pasta, more for most grocery-quality pastas.
In the meantime, add the shrimp to the tomato-caper sauce and stir occasionally until completely heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once the pasta is done to your preference (please don't overcook the delicate Esotico,) use this Italian trick. Using your tongs, lift the pasta straight from the water to the sauce pan. Don't rinse or drain-- the starchy water that clings to the pasta will make the sauce even more silky and flavorful. Gently toss the pasta and sauce together using your tongs, and place in serving bowls, topped with the chopped herbs as a bright, flavorful garnish.
Cooks tip: Only tell the die-hard anchovy lovers they are in the dish. Once cooked, anchovies melt into the sauce and are undetectable except for the slight meaty umami flavor they add, which perfectly balances the acidic tomato and tangy capers and olives. The squeamish will not know they are there.
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| Order at Esotico.com |
Serves 4
1 8 oz. package high-quality pasta
4-5 generous generous swirls extra virgin olive oil (3-4 Tablespoons)
1 tin anchovies, finely chopped
3 cloves chopped fresh garlic
A large pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 28 oz. can crushes tomatoes
3 Tablespoons capers
1/2 cup roughly chopped oil-packed black olives or Kalamata olives
1 lb. (+/-) frozen cooked tail-on shrimp, thawed
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh basil or parsley to garnish, to taste
Set a pasta pot full of highly salted water on to boil. The water should taste of the sea.
In a large skillet or saute pan, warm the olive oil at medium-low heat. Add the garlic and chopped anchovies. Stir nearly constantly until garlic is translucent and the anchovies are well broken down, about 4 minutes. It should smell a bit like you imagine heaven.
Raise the heat to medium and add the canned tomatoes, capers, and olives. Stir regularly, condensing the tomato juices and allowing the flavors to come together, about 10 minutes, or about as long as it takes for the pasta water to come to a full rolling boil.
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| Under Four Minutes to Cook These Silky Strands |
In the meantime, add the shrimp to the tomato-caper sauce and stir occasionally until completely heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once the pasta is done to your preference (please don't overcook the delicate Esotico,) use this Italian trick. Using your tongs, lift the pasta straight from the water to the sauce pan. Don't rinse or drain-- the starchy water that clings to the pasta will make the sauce even more silky and flavorful. Gently toss the pasta and sauce together using your tongs, and place in serving bowls, topped with the chopped herbs as a bright, flavorful garnish.
Cooks tip: Only tell the die-hard anchovy lovers they are in the dish. Once cooked, anchovies melt into the sauce and are undetectable except for the slight meaty umami flavor they add, which perfectly balances the acidic tomato and tangy capers and olives. The squeamish will not know they are there.
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