Linguine Scampi
Linguine Scampi
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Squid Ink Linguin
- 1/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 Fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped
- hot red chili flakes to taste
- 3/4 lb Large shrimp peeled and de-veined
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup Dry white wine
- 1/2 cup Pasta water
- 1/4 cup Fresh basil, sliced
- generous sprinkle of toasted breadcrumbs
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water (4 to 5 quarts) to a boil over high heat.
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While water is heating, slice the tomatoes and the basil, and chop the garlic and chili peppers. Peel and de-vein shrimp (unless you bought them ready to cook) and dice, reserving a few whole ones to place on top of the finished dish.
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Once the water has reached a rapid boil, add salt and then the pasta. Cook until very al dente (about 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time on package directions).
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While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large non-reactive pan on medium heat.
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Add chopped garlic and chili peppers to the hot oil. Cook for a minute over low heat, being careful NOT to brown the garlic.
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Add whole shrimp and then diced ones. Turn whole shrimp once to cook on both sides.
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Add tomatoes and wine and cook to evaporate alcohol.
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Remove whole shrimp from pan and keep warm.
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When pasta is ready, reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water and drain the rest.
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Transfer the pasta to the pan with the sauce along with enough of the pasta water to keep the sauce moist but not too wet; mix well on low heat until all the flavors are well incorporated, making sure that most of the added pasta water has been absorbed. Return large shrimp to the pan and add basil.
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Transfer to a platter or portion onto individual plates. Arrange the whole shrimp artfully on top.
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Liberally top dish with toasted breadcrumbs (muddica) and garnish with a basil sprig.
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Buon appetito and SHARE THE PASTA!!
Recipe Notes
Chef Rosario’s thoughts:
Buon giorno, pasta lovers!
When talking about the most beloved pasta dishes in select states last month, I mentioned that—to my surprise—Squid Ink Pasta was tops in three: Illinois, Maryland, and New York! So, what exactly is squid ink pasta? Moreover, why is it black?
Let’s shed some light on the darkness (no pun intended)! Squid ink pasta is made by adding squid (originally cuttle fish) ink to pasta, and it’s quite delicious. There is a whole family of mollusks related to squid—they all have small ink sacs in their bodies. They spray their ink into the water, surrounding themselves with a dark cloud, to deter and confuse predators when attacked. It might be the closest nature comes to an invisibility cloak.
Decades—or perhaps centuries ago—some ingenious Sicilian chef discovered, while cleaning squid, that adding the “ink” to pasta dough turned it a rich jet black and packed an extra flavor punch to boot. The rest is culinary history; today black pasta is quite popular in the Italian regions of Sicily and Veneto, and surprise, surprise in our own backyard as well.
No need for home chefs to get messy in the kitchen trying to extract squid ink on their own—ready-to-use squid-ink flavored pasta is available in the pasta section of the best supermarkets and specialty shops around the country.