One-Pot Shrimp Piccata Pasta
Before You Begin
Ingredients · Servings 4
- 1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed, shells reserved
- 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, divided
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 7 garlic cloves, peeled (6 smashed, 1 minced)
- 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed (optional)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups water
- 12 ounces (3⅓ cups) orecchiette
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Method · 1 h 5 min
- Cut shrimp crosswise into thirds. Sprinkle shrimp with ½ teaspoon salt; set aside. Combine reserved shrimp shells; oil; smashed garlic; and anchovies, if using, in large Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until shells are spotty brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in wine and cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add water and remaining 1 teaspoon salt, increase heat to high, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, remove shells from shrimp stock and transfer to bowl. (Some garlic cloves may be inadvertently removed at this point; this is OK.) Pour any stock that has accumulated in bottom of bowl back into pot. Discard shells.
- Stir pasta into stock and bring to simmer. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low; and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, 10 to 14 minutes (some liquid will remain in bottom of pot when pasta is al dente).
- Stir in shrimp and cook, uncovered, until opaque, about 2 minutes, stirring often. Off heat, stir in parsley, capers, lemon zest and juice, pepper flakes, and minced garlic. Stir vigorously until sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Serve with Parmesan.
You can substitute 12 ounces (4½ cups) of medium pasta shells for the orecchiette, if desired. We prefer untreated shrimp (those not treated with salt or additives such as sodium tripolyphosphate). Most frozen E-Z peel shrimp have been treated (the ingredient list should tell you). If you’re using treated shrimp, do not salt the shrimp in step 1. You can use medium or large shrimp, but you may need to reduce the cooking time in step 5. The pasta will not absorb all the cooking liquid in step 4; stirring vigorously in step 5 helps thicken the sauce so that it coats the pasta.
