Tagliatelle with Shrimp and Long Italian Peppers, Part 2: The Shrimp (VIDEO)
Tagliatelle con Gamberi e Pepperoni
Makes: 4 servings
1 pound extra jumbo (16-24) shrimp, in shells (about 20)
Olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tomato, cored and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 fresh long red chili peppers, seeds removed and finely minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
½ cup dry Italian white wine
4 tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
¼ cup minced parsley
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1 pound fresh or dried tagliatelle pasta (or other wide, long pasta)
Procedure
1. Peel the shrimp and reserve the shells. Slice the backs of the shrimp and remove the vein. Rinse and pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Reserve shells.
2. Coat a medium sauté pan with olive oil, and heat over medium heat. When hot, add carrot, celery, onion and 1 chopped tomato. Cook the vegetables until they begin to caramelize or turn golden brown around the edges. Add the shells of the shrimp and cook until the shells have browned, about 10 minutes.
3. Add enough cooking water to cover vegetables and shrimp shells (at least 4 cups water). Bring to a simmer, and cook for at least 45 minutes. Drain and reserve the shrimp broth for the final sauce.
4. Coat a medium sauté pan with olive oil, and heat over medium heat. When hot, add shrimp and cook, stirring until golden brown on the edges and cooked through, about 3 minutes. It’s best to slightly undercook the shrimp since they will be reheated with the pasta. Remove the shrimp to a bowl.
5. Lower the heat, and add garlic and peppers. Stir for 30 seconds taking care that the garlic does not brown. Add the lemon juice, zest and white wine. Let the wine sizzle long enough until it resembles syrup. Add 2 cups of the reserved shrimp broth and continue to cook until thickened. Add tomatoes, and cook until they wilt and give off their juices. Remove pan from heat. Sprinkle with parsley.
6. Meanwhile, cook the fresh pasta about 1 to 1 ½ minutes until firm to the bite. If using dried pasta, cook according to package directions.
7. As the pasta is cooking, add shrimp to the sauce and reheat. Drain the pasta and add to the sauté pan with the shrimp and sauce. Toss to combine. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.