skrimp pasta

Usually Drew and I like to use Sunday nights for trying challenging new recipes, but sometimes it's nice to do something easy for dinner. This shrimp pasta (or skrimp pasta, if you're from the Delta), for example, is simple. Now, Drew did make the pasta from scratch, but that's another post. And it's certainly not necessary for this recipe.

This pasta is easy (as previously stated), delicious, and absolutely terrible for you. There's not much else to say about it. We topped the pasta with a homemade gremolata, which Drew will tell you all about when he tells you about homemade pasta.

Skrimp Pasta

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
1 white onion, minced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1/8 tsp dried thyme
pinch pepper
1 pint heavy cream
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 10 oz. bag of medium-sized frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt to taste

Defrost the shrimp.

Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Increase heat to medium high and add onions. Cook until onions are golden. Add tomatoes, basil, thyme, and pepper. Saute for around 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and blend, either with a stick blender or in small batches in a blender. Once tomato mixture is smooth, add cream while blending but do not blend too long or you'll whip the cream. Put the cream-tomato mixture back on the heat. Turn heat up to high until it comes to a boil. Once it does, turn heat down to low and let simmer until the mixture is reduced by half. Add salt to taste. Then add the shrimp and let shrimp hang out in the sauce until cooked through, 5-7 minutes (at most! It depends upon how hot the sauce is...check the shrimp often because it doesn't take long to overcook them and then they're tough and gross). Add the artichoke hearts. Pour over 1 1/2 pounds of cooked pasta (again, fresh or dried, who cares?) and serve immediately. Let your guests top with gremolata.