Shrimp with Asparagus and Tomatoes and Fettuccini

 

I bought some lovely very thin (maybe even baby) asparagus this week so looked for a recipe in  The Tucci Cookbook and there it was! Fettuccini with Asparagus and Shrimp. We always have frozen shrimp on hand and this was the 16 or 20 large size in the shell from Costco that I freeze separately for a dinner for two or three.

I decided to make fresh fettuccini, freezing the rest or gifting it. It's just so easy to make several batches at once, making several pounds of fresh pasta.

While I made the pasta, I got the ingredients together - things we always have on hand (shallots, garlic, fresh parsley and basil, tomatoes, red pepper flakes and white wine.) Gerry came into the kitchen and chopped the herbs and got the pasta water and skillet ready to cook. This comes together fast.

1 pound fettuccini

1 pound of shelled shrimp either whole or slices in half lengthwise.

Salt and fresh pepper to taste

1/2 cup white wine (dry or cooking wine)

12 medium asparagus or 8-16 oz. of the baby ones

5 T. olive oil plus more to drizzle on top of the pasta

2 T. finely diced shallots

2-3 cloves or garlic, finely sliced

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 T. chopped fresh basil leaves

1 cup tomatoes, coarsely chopped - we used the tiny Roma-shaped tomatoes that come packed on vines and Gerry cut them into sixths

Cook pasta in generously salted and gently boiling water (four minutes for homemade fettuccini. Drain and use just as the dish has come together after tossing with olive oil.

While pasta cooks, cut off the tough bottoms of the asparagus and take any tough layers of skin off with a peeler (this wasn't necessary with the baby asparagus.) Cut the asparagus into 2-inch long pieces. 

Warm 3 T of the olive oil in a skillet or large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley and basil and cook, stirring frequently to flavor the oil with the aromatics, for one minute. Stir in the asparagus and shrimp. Cook for about three minutes until the shrimp are pink. Add the wine and cook until it evaporates, about a minute. Add the tomatoes and gently boil for another minute. Toss in the pasta to coat with all.

Plate and serve. No cheese, please!

*From OliviaOven.com: In traditional Italian cuisine, it is generally discouraged to put cheese on seafood dishes, including shrimp pasta. This is because cheese can overpower the delicate flavors of the seafood. However, some people enjoy the combination of shrimp and cheese, finding that certain cheeses, like feta, can complement shrimp well. Ultimately, if you enjoy the rich, creamy flavors of cheese, feel free to incorporate it into your shrimp pasta. If you prefer to let the seafood shine, it might be best to skip the cheese.

From HardCoreItalians.blog: Good old formaggio, it is flavorful and can make so many Italian dishes come to life. However, there is an exception. In Italy, cheese never goes on fish pasta, for several reasons. If you go to Italy and ask for cheese on a fish dish, don’t expect a typical response as you will likely be looked at like you’re pazzo. The rule that cheese does not go on fish originates in Italy, especially since many dishes from other countries combine fish and pasta. Take, for example, arides saganaki, a Grecian dish that combines feta, tomatoes, and broiled shrimp.