Shrimp Fra Diavolo.

Ingredient List:

I will let you know on every post that my recipes are very fluid. Each time I enter the kitchen I rarely measure and add ingredients to taste. The best part of my recipes is that the flavors can change each time you prepare them with a little extra this or that.

• Large Peeled & Deveined Shrimp (I believe I used about 2lbs)
• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 1 Shallot, finely diced
• 4-5 Garlic Cloves, finely diced (I’m an aggressive garlic user but this is necessary)
• 1 Tablespoon Calabrian Chilies (I used Divina Chopped Calabrian Chilies from Whole Foods. You can also use fresh if you can find them!)
• 1/4 Cup Dry White Wine (Oh look, an excuse to open a bottle!)
• 1 28oz Can of Whole San Marzano Tomatoes ( use an emulsion blender, food processor or your hands to break them up a bit so they’re not chunky)
• Parsley & Thyme
• Spaghetti Noodles
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

I will let you know on every post that my directions are very fluid. I do not watch a clock, I watch the food in front of me and respond accordingly. Taste as you go and make sure it’s coming together so you can make adjustments as necessary. When you understand the way your food works and how it needs to be prepared, it’ll start to feel like a dance. Let’s cha cha!

• If you’re making homemade pasta, which I completely think you should because it’s phenomenal… make the noodles first and wait to boil until about 2-3 minutes before serving the dish.
• Grab those shrimpies and pat them dry. I added a generous amount of salt and pepper to them. Always season your meats. Always.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, I added butter and let it melt down. I layered the shrimp on the pan and cooked until one side was pink (maybe 2 minutes). Flip them over and cook the other side. Remove all shrimp from heat.
• In the same pan, toss in your shallot. If you’re not cooking with shallot, you’re missing out on massive flavor for your dishes.
• Add in your garlic a few minutes later and cook until fragrant. It is important to note that this recipe is very deliberate in its garlic bulb quantities. It’s meant to be spicy and garlicky. Trust the process.
• Add in your Calabrian chilies! You’ll wonder if you have the common cold and might start sniffling. It’s just the peppers. Stir them around for about 3-4 minutes.
• Toss in your dry white wine to de-glaze the pan. This is where you can scrape up any goodies that stuck to the bottom of the pan. You’ll find a lot of flavor in those scraps! Let the wine cook down before adding the tomatoes.
• Did you let the wine cook down? If not, you’re clearly not reading what I said to do.
• Add in your can of blended whole tomatoes. I have read a bunch of recipes that call for fire roasted tomatoes which would also be great! Just make sure to buy the whole tomato and not pureed or crushed or any of that crap that has already lost its flavor.
• We want these tomatoes to cook down a little bit. Let them simmer about 10 minutes. Throw in your thyme and parsley, take a sip of wine. Enjoy the smells for a minute. Taste your dish here. Do you need to add a little salt or pepper? Did you make a mistake and need to call in take-out? Now is the time to do those things.
• Here is where you need to cook that pasta! If you’re going with a box… shame on you.
• Add the shimp back to your sauce and douse your al dente pasta with that goodness.
• Always top with fresh parsley or basil or whatever fresh herb you can get your hands on.
• Go back for seconds and thirds.