Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp
You can sprinkle ½ cup Parmesan cheese over the cooked shrimp and pasta. To reduce the preparation time, feel free to use leftover cooked pasta.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
3 quarts water
1½ teaspoons salt
¾ pound angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tomato, chopped
1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup light cream
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Bring a large pot with the water to a boil with the salt. Add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook until the pasta is cooked al dente. (Prepare the vegetables and shrimp while the pasta is cooking.)
Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and shallots. Sprinkle the dried basil and oregano over the shallots. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened.
Add the tomato and the shrimp. Sauté the shrimp until they turn pink.
Add the lemon juice and cream. Cook until thickened. Stir in the pepper. Keep warm
Drain the cooked pasta in a colander. Place in a large bowl. Toss the pasta with the sauce.
Pasta Cooking Tips
The key to making perfect pasta is to use plenty of water, giving the pasta room to move around, and stirring it to separate the strands. Ideally, pasta should be cooked until it reaches the al dente stage (an Italian term meaning “to the tooth”). Pasta that is cooked al dente is neither over- nor undercooked, but firm, slightly chewy, and offering a bit of resistance.
