Orecchiette with Spicy Shrimp Sauce

🧂 Ingredients

• 12 ounces orecchiette pasta
• Kosher salt for pasta water and sauce
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  plus more for drizzling
• 1 small fennel bulb

  chopped, plus 1 Tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
• 2 cloves garlic

  thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes

  quartered
• ½ pound medium shrimp

  peeled, deveined and sliced lengthwise.
• ½ cup grated Pecorino cheese
• 1 cup torn fresh basil

Instructions

• 1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label
  directs.
• 2 Reserve 1 ½ cups of the salted cooking water, then drain and set pasta aside.
• 3 Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high
  heat. Add the chopped fennel bulb and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring
  occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and
  add the garlic, tomato paste and red pepper flakes.
• 4 Cook, stirring, 2 more minutes ( add a splash of the pasta water if the mixture
  is sticking).
• 5 Stir in the tomato, shrimp, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 cup of reserved cooking water.
  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are saucy,
  about 6 more minutes.
• 6 Add the pasta and cheese to the sauce and toss to coat. Drizzle with olive oil,
  season with salt and more of the reserved pasta water to loosen, if necessary.
  Stir in the basil leaves and fennel fronds.
• 7 Plate, serve and enjoy.

Nutrition Info