Friday, August 23, 2013

Angel Hair with Shrimp in a Light Tomato Sauce

This pasta is absolutely amazing!! It's probably my best dish yet. I layered all of the ingredients, so you could taste every single one in the finished dish! Below is a step-by-step of how the MAGIC happened.
 

 
 I used Angel Hair pasta, but you could use just about any type of straight pasta you would like! I've seen it with Spaghetti as well. I like the Angel Hair because when cooked correctly, it adds a ton of flavor! Be sure to season your boiling water with a wealthy amount of salt b/c that is what will flavor your noodles. Cook just until al dente, usually approx 8-9 minutes.

 
 Up next is my favorite part...the SAUCE!! I like this dish b/c the sauce is very simple. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, diced tomatoes, garlic minced, butter, dried basil, red pepper flakes and italian seasonings. Be careful not to use too much, but feel free to season to taste.

I used a can of diced tomatoes b/c I wanted to add the remaining juice to my sauce as well. Simmer on medium heat until butter melts.

 
I like Del Monte w/ Basil, Garlic & Oregano...but of course you can use whatever is YOUR favorite. They recently changed the look of the can, so don't panic (as I did) if you can't find it immediately. Also, they have the low sodium version which is nice for those watching sodium intake.


Add half cup of white vinegar & juice from canned tomatoes. Simmer on med to low heat while you prep shrimp...which is up next!

 
Again, I used small shrimp already cooked but you can use whatever you would like. You could even use chicken for this dish, but be careful because chicken can dry out your noodles.

I removed the shells from the shrimp to make them easier to eat, took a little longer on the front end, but was well worth it while eating.

 
Sautee shrimp in olive oil and tablespoon of butter. Season with teaspoon of garlic powder. This is my favorite weapon because it's not as salty as garlic salt. Cook on medium for approx 3 minutes on each side. They were already cooked so it didn't take long. Just long enough to brown lightly.
 
 
Add noodles to sauce which should be ready to go, and toss. Let stand for a couple of minutes on very low heat, then add shrimp!! Top with thinly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano (I like to buy the block and shred myself so that I can shred to my liking), then add a few more basil leaves and it's ready to eat!! I add a lot of cheese to my personal bowl b/c I am a cheese nut, but my husband isn't big on cheese. But again...this is completely up to you!
Enjoy!!