Bottega - Michael Chiarello [43]
In a large pot of salted boiling water (see Note), cook the pasta according to the package directions, usually 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain. Spoon the pasta into warmed shallow bowls. Top with a good amount of the sauce and then finish with a spoonful or two of the ricotta.
Solo Shrimp Pasta
SERVES 6
Barcelona, Positano, Venice, and the Amalfi Coast—all of these places exceeded my expectations, despite all the tourist hype. The shrimp I ate while sitting next to the Mediterranean also topped my expectations. I created this dish for Bottega when I found shrimp here in the United States that was just as good. One fisherman in Louisiana supplies us with all our shrimp; he ships live shrimp to us three times a week in containers filled with seawater, and we save just a little of that water for the pasta.
This isn’t a pasta you put together from frozen seafood. Solo shrimp means “just shrimp,” and when you find the best shrimp you’ve ever had, this is how to cook them.
Wine Pairing: Chardonnay
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
24 large, perfect Gulf Coast shrimp with heads on (about 2 pounds)
Sea salt, preferably gray salt, or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sliced garlic
2 teaspoons Calabrian chile paste (see Resources), or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
10 cups Shrimp Stock
1 pound chitarra pasta
3 tablespoons finely shredded fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
6 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Set a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta (see Note).
Heat a very large sauce pan or Dutch oven over high heat and add the olive oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add 8 to 12 shrimp to the pan. Cook just until they turn pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Take one out and taste it; as soon as they’re cooked through, transfer the shrimp to a plate using a wire skimmer or slotted spoon. Repeat with the second batch of shrimp. When the second batch has cooked, transfer to the plate and add the garlic to the pan. Cook until golden, then add the chile paste. Add the shrimp stock and cook to reduce by half, about 10 minutes.
While the sauce reduces, add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook for half the time suggested on the pasta package; drain. Using tongs, add the pasta to the pan with the sauce, gently tossing, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. (It still has another 2 minutes to cook with the herbs, so don’t overcook the pasta in the sauce.) Add the basil, tarragon, and parsley and stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper. Return the shrimp to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and divide among pasta bowls to serve.
CHEF’S NOTE: Remember that pasta (like meat) will continue to cook after you take it off the heat. Read the directions on your pasta package. If the package advises 10 minutes, cook it for 5 minutes in the water and for another 3 minutes in the pan. I always leave a hint of crunch to my pasta for some room to let it finish cooking in the sauce.
Zinfandel Spaghettini with Spicy Rapini
SERVES 8 AS A FIRST COURSE, 4 AS A MAIN COURSE
This pasta is a celebration of one of my favorite grapes, Zinfandel. Seldom is Zinfandel given the respect I think it deserves. This dish lets you kneel at the altar of Zinfandel, a glass of it at your right hand, an entire plate of it on your left. The pasta is barely cooked in water, and then it’s finished in Zinfandel until deep purple in color. Paired with a little rapini and some pecorino, this is a dish that is simple and yet extravagant.
It’s a great crowd pleaser, but one that might need explanation. Spaghetti and spaghettini are expected to be doused in tomato sauce; this dish shows that they