shrimp fra diavolo

Italian for "brother devil", fra diavolo sauce is just about anything you want to make it, as long as it has some kick to it.  Wiki says, according to Mario Batali, it is an Italian American dish, rarely seen in Italy.  They don't know what they are missing.  It's a simple dish to make, full of fresh herbs, tomatoes (in my version) and spicy hot red pepper flakes.

I went to Whole Foods the other day, and they had some beautiful fresh South Carolina shrimp.  I was mourning the end of the supply of Honeycrisp apples, and so I decided to console myself with some of those shrimp, but they were pricy.  So I wasn't going to do a shrimp boil, turning pounds of spiced shrimp out onto a paper-covered table, as much as I'd like to.  I ended up with about 2/3 of a pound for two people.  Jim has a big appetite.  A half a pound would probably do for two if neither one of you is inclined to consume inordinate amounts of pasta.

The sauce has quite a few ingredients, but once they're assembled, it comes together in about a half an hour.  I used hot red pepper flakes; garlic; sliced shallots; chopped canned tomatoes; fresh oregano, basil and parsley; a little dry vermouth (my go-to for white wine in cooking); and dried linguine for the pasta.

Muir Glen fire roasted chopped tomatoes with no added salt

is one of my favorite pantry staples--not that I avoid salt,

I just like being in control of how much there is, and when it's added

The shrimp get tossed with the red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt, then get tossed in a sizzling skillet with a glug of olive oil.  I use tender loving care with shrimp, cooking them first just until they are barely done--beginning to turn pink and lose their translucence.  Perfectly cooked shrimp are a wonder.  Overcooked shrimp are rubber erasers.  I err on the side of caution.  Carry-over heat will continue to cook them when they come out of the skillet, and they will cook a little more when you toss them in the sauce and pasta to heat them up.

 shrimp are ready to come out of the pan when they are

just beginning to turn pink and opaque

The remainder of the sauce comes together while the shrimp rest.  I sauteed the sliced shallots for a few minutes, then added in the minced garlic.  I think the easiest ways to mince garlic in through a garlic press, or to grate it on a microplane grater.  Chopping garlic with a knife is a chore.  It sticks to the knife and the pieces are unevenly sized.  Besides, having a good garlic press will dissuade you from using that jarred stuff.  It just doesn't taste the same.  And, yes, I have a jar of chopped garlic in my fridge I have called on in emergencies, but it's so old I think it needs to be carbon-dated.

the aromatics take just a short saute

then in goes the about half a cup of wine, the tomatoes, 

and the oregano--use dried if you don't have fresh--and now's
the time to taste for salt

I have so much fresh oregano in my garden it boggles the mind.  It's like mint--it takes over, and I'm not sure it's the case in colder climates, but here in zone seven it grows all year long.

Cook the pasta in rapidly boiling salted water until it is just barely al dente--in other words, a little bit under-cooked.  And don't worry if the sauce seems a little thin.  Adding the slightly undercooked pasta to a slightly watery sauce is a great way to get very flavorful, perfectly cooked pasta.

The pasta, chopped parsley, and shrimp go in the sauce for 

a minute or two, to warm the shrimp and infuse the pasta with the sauce

I put the fresh basil on top, to be stirred in with the hot

pasta, so it stays as fresh as possible

No Parmesan on this dish, I suppose because the Titans of Italian cooking say no cheese with seafood.  But, hey, if you want a bit of parm, who's to know?  I adore Alfredo with crab, lobster or shrimp, and that's loaded with cheese.  But this dish is a lot healthier, easy to make, and satisfying to eat.  Ciao!