Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Gamberi all'Arrabbiata·(gahm-beh-ree ahl-lahr-rahb-byah-tah)
The Friday Night Abbondanza: American Bounty, Italian Soul
Red pepper flakes hiss in the oil of a twelve-inch skillet, a can of crushed tomatoes simmers, and a one-pound box of dried linguine rattles into the pot. Born in a New York red-sauce joint, this isn't the heavy, garlic-drowned monstrosity you get at a generic strip mall. A deeply savory, briny sauce requires fumetto di crostacei—a thrifty, ten-minute, zero-waste stock made from discarded shrimp shells that delivers sweet, roasted-shell depth. Fold the shrimp in, and carry the skillet to the table.
Before you start
Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving every shell and tail.
Do not buy pre-peeled shrimp. The discarded shells contain the deep, sweet oceanic flavor compounds required to make the fumetto, which is the entire backbone of this dish.
Ingredients
- large shell-on American Gulf shrimp1 lb
- extra virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- garlic cloves3 med
- dry white wine1/2 cup
- water1 cup
- crushed red pepper flakes1 tsp
- cherry tomatoes1 pt
- canned whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes14 oz
- dried bronze-die linguine12 oz
- fresh flat-leaf parsley1/2 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
Method
- 01
Sear the shrimp.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat, season the dried shrimp lightly with salt, and sear them for just one minute per side until partially raw in the center, then remove them to a plate.
- 02
Build the fumetto.
In a separate saucepan, toast the reserved shrimp shells in a drizzle of olive oil with the smashed garlic clove over high heat until they turn bright pink and caramelize on the bottom.
- 03
Simmer the stock.
Deglaze the toasted shells with the white wine, allowing the alcohol to completely evaporate, then add the water, simmer for fifteen minutes, and strain the liquid, discarding the shells.
- 04
Start the diavolo sauce.
Wipe out the main skillet if necessary, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat, and toast the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes for thirty seconds until fragrant.
- 05
Blister the tomatoes.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet, letting them blister and break down for about three to four minutes before pouring in the hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes.
- 06
Infuse the sauce.
Pour the strained liquid gold of the shrimp stock into the tomato base and allow it to simmer for ten to fifteen minutes until it reduces into a slightly thickened sauce.
- 07
Marry the pasta and sauce.
Boil the linguine in heavily salted water until two minutes shy of al dente, then transfer the pasta directly from the water into the simmering diavolo sauce.
- 08
Finish the dish.
Return the partially cooked shrimp to the pan, toss vigorously for one to two minutes until the pasta absorbs the stock, and finish off the heat with fresh parsley and a final drizzle of raw olive oil.
Notes
Keep the cheese in the fridge.
Combining dairy with seafood is a traditional faux pas in Italian cuisine; the oceanic brine of the shrimp and the heat of the chili should not be muddied by parmesan.
Dry the shrimp thoroughly.
Always pat frozen or fresh shrimp completely dry with paper towels before hitting the pan, otherwise they will steam in their own moisture instead of developing a proper sear.
From Cook Italian in America.