Garlicky Shrimp Pasta

America’s Test Kitchen – Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Extra large shrimp, (21 – 25), peeled, deveined, each shrimp cut into three pieces
  • 3 T Olive oil
  • 5 Garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 Garlic cloves, smashed
  • Salt
  • ½ t Red pepper flakes
  • 1 lb Fusilli or rigatoni pasta
  • 2 t Unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ C Dry vermouth or white wine
  • ¾ C Clam juice
  • ½ C Chopped fresh parsley
  • 3 T Unsalted butter
  • 1 Lemon cut into wedges
  • 1 Zest and juice from lemon 
  • Ground black pepper
  • Salt

Directions

  • Toss five minced garlic cloves, shrimp, one tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Let shrimp marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
  • Heat four smashed garlic cloves and two tablespoons oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is light golden brown, four to seven minutes. Remove skillet from heat and use a slotted spoon to remove garlic from skillet; discard garlic. Set the skillet aside.
  • Bring four quarts of water to boil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add three tablespoons of salt and pasta. Cook until just al dente, then drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and transfer pasta back to the Dutch oven.
  • While pasta cooks, return skillet with oil to medium heat; add shrimp with marinade to skillet in a single layer. Cook shrimp, undisturbed, until oil starts to bubble gently, one to two minutes. 
  • Stir shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about one minute longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a medium bowl. 
  • Add remaining three teaspoons minced garlic and pepper flakes to skillet and cook until fragrant, about one minute. 
  • Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute; stir in vermouth and cook for one minute. Add clam juice and parsley; cook until mixture starts to thicken, one to two minutes. 
  • Off heat, whisk in butter and lemon juice. Add shrimp and sauce to pasta, adding reserved cooking water if sauce is too thick. Season with black pepper.
  • Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.