No visit to Connecticut was complete without a trip to the Italian grocery to purchase a wheel of pecorino romano cheese. My dad, Aunt Santina, and Uncle Sebastian would split up the wheel between the three of them and we would travel back to Mississippi with our most precious Italian cheese – thank goodness this was before weight limits on checked luggage existed.
The aroma of pecorino is much sharper than parmigiano Reggiano and, I must admit, was an acquired taste as a child. The bite of the aged sheep’s milk cheese also provides a delightful saltiness to whatever dish it accompanies. This cheese occupied the entirety of the crisper drawers of our refrigerator as we parceled it out throughout the year to top pasta, lasagna, and seafood dishes. Yes – seafood and cheese.
On our honeymoon in Eleuthra, we ate at a restaurant owned by Italians where I was scolded for asking for cheese with my shrimp and squid. I was internally hand gesturing to them through my eyes – but I’m Sicilian – we love to combine cheese with seafood. Arguably, anytime you add a pesto to seafood you are marrying cheese and seafood with a delicious result. So why all the snobbery with combining seafood with cheese? I hope that this version of shrimp pasta helps you reconsider the antiquated rule of not topping seafood with cheese.
A note on shrimp. I live in Mississippi where we are lucky to have fresh shrimp from the Gulf throughout the year. Royal reds, known for their sweetness and rosy, pink color, are some of my favorites. If you can find head-on shrimp, buy then. They will instill a richness to the marinade that is hard to replicate. If you live in Jackson, Mississippi, my go-to for head-on shrimp is Duggan’s seafood. They drive the shrimp up from the Gulf of Mexico and sell them in the Deville Plaza parking lot. But beware, they sell out quickly.
Shrimp Pasta
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 bowls 1x
Description
On our honeymoon in Eleuthra, we ate at a restaurant owned by Italians where I was scolded for asking for cheese with my shrimp and squid. I was internally hand gesturing to them through my eyes – but I’m Sicilian – we love to combine cheese with seafood. Arguably, anytime you add a pesto to seafood you are marrying cheese and seafood with a delicious result. So why all the snobbery with combining seafood with cheese? I hope that this version of shrimp pasta helps you reconsider the antiquated rule of not topping seafood with cheese.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 pounds shrimp (preferably head on shrimp)
- 3 Tbs garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 Tbs lemon juice
- 2 Tbs sherry vinegar
- 3 Tbs olive oil
- 1 Tbs honey
- 1 cup white wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1 Tbs butter
- 1 cup chopped shallots (about 3-4 large shallots, but you could also substitute with chopped onion or leek)
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- Shrimp and marinade
- 1/3 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese (or parmesan cheese)
- 2 Tbs parsley
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup pasta water
- 1 pound fettucine, cooked in salted water until al dente
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Marinade the shrimp: Mix all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge to marinate for an hour or overnight.
- Make the pasta: Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots. Cover the pot and allow the shallots to cook for about 5 minutes covered, occasionally stirring the shallots to ensure they don’t burn. Add the tomatoes and reserved liquid from the marinade. Add the shrimp on the top and cover.
- Over medium-low heat, cook for about 10 minutes. Uncover and remove the shrimp- once you notice the shells turning pink, they are safe to remove and set aside. Simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes. While the sauce reduces, peel and devein the shrimp. Add the cooked pasta and mix to combine. After the pasta soaks up some of the sauce, add the pasta water.
- To finish, add the cheese and parsley. Taste your finished shrimp pasta and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italianish
Keywords: Seafood, Pasta