Linguine with Shrimp and Spinach

Since I promised to update post from last night, here I am despite the throbbing headache. See how dedicated I am to my so-called art (is this even considered art? baka arte pwede pa hehe) Last night, my tita and I decided to do a remake of Linguine with Shrimp and Spinach pasta from Chef D’Angelo. It’s really an easy dish, and believe me it takes no time to cook.

Ingredients:

     Shrimps (shelled)

     Garlic (whole)

     Olive oil

     Chili flakes

     Basil leaves

     Fresh Spinach leaves or frozen (available in supermarkets)

     Linguine Pasta

     Salt and pepper to taste

     French bread (optional)

A note before you start making the dish:

Notice that I didn’t mention the specifics when it comes to how much this and that you should use. Cooking pasta is not rocket science. Sometimes there’s no need to measure ingredients. Go with your guts with this one. The key trick here is to taste as you go. We used up 1/2 kilo of linguine pasta for last night. Again, how much shrimp, garlic, chili, spinach etc. will entirely depend on your taste. 

PROCEDURE:

1. Cook your linguine pasta as per instructed in its package. I suggest you salt heavily the water in which you cook the pasta. It will give the pasta a better flavor, and remember that our sauce isn’t the saucy kind. Put also your garlic (yes whole garlic!) around 3 minutes before your pasta is cooked al dente. When it’s done, drain and set aside.

2. Shell you shrimp. But if you’ve got the budget, buy the pre-shelled ones already packaged in a container. 

3.Set your pan on your stove top under medium high heat and put your olive oil. When its hot, cook your shrimp for 2 minutes. Please don’t over cook the shrimp. Add in your spinach leaves (cooks quite fast, too) and tear some basil leaves over and sprinkle in some of your chili flakes.

4. Add in your pasta to the pan with the shrimps and toss the pasta until it’s coated with the sauce. Drizzle a bit more olive oil, no harm it’s actually good for you.

5. Toast some french bread. Brush both sides with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil, hi rachel ray) sprinkle your salt and pepper and off they go to your oven 350 F for 15 minutes. Or better yet, toast regular bread in your toaster and thats it! No need to be fancy.

This is actually a good recipe if you’re having someone over for dinner. Just a light sauced pasta, some good wine and let’s see what will happen next! Of course, dessert. But you’ll be the judge what kind of dessert your date prefers

Before I go, I will leave you with some helpful tips! 

Tip #1: SALT YOUR WATER: When making light sauces not involving tomato saucea and heavy cream, it is highly recommended to heavily salt the water where you boil your pasta. The pasta itself needs all the flavors it can get.

Tip #2:  THE PASTA SHOULD BE AL DENTE: Do not over cook your pasta please! Okay, here’s the trick, taste the pasta minutes before the package instruction says it’s done. Al dente means to the bite, meaning when you bite into you pasta, you’d feel the pasta somewhat crunchy and hard, or the middle part of the pasta is tiny bit crunchy. Stop at that point because the pasta will continue to cook even after your drain it! Yes! Because it is still hot (unless you want to run it under water, which is I do not recommend).

Tip #3: WHOLE GARLIC IS TASTY: Yes, whole garlic tastes nice when it is boiled for 2-3 minutes. What happens is the garlic loses it’s pungent flavor and mellows down. 

Tip #4: PRESENTATION IS THE KEY: If you’re serving this to a guest, make sure your presentation is off the hook! Remember, we eat first with our eyes so its important that the food looks good, too! Always garnish the plate with herbs that you used, in this case i used some fresh basil leaves and placed it on top of the pasta. 

Tip #5: PARMESAN CHEESE SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN YOUR PANTRY: I love parmesan cheese, and I believe you should have this in your pantry at all times. My mom, when she’s crazy hungry, she cooks some pasta (spaghetti, fetuccine whatever kind and when its done drizzle it with some olive oil then sprinkle some parmesan cheese then she already has lunch! Buy Kraft’s Parmesan Cheese.

Enjoy!

PS You dont need to put it some pecans in your pasta. I just had some of it laying around the kitchen so I decided to put them in. But really, the recipe doesn’t call for it 

If you have further questions regarding the recipe, do email me or leave comments, and I will gladly answer them.