Pasta con asparagi e gamberi

If you’re looking for a quick and easy pasta dish, pasta con asparagi e gamberi, or Pasta with Asparagus and Shrimp, will certainly fill the bill. The asparagus and shrimp cook in the time it takes for the water to come to the boil and the pasta to cook. Dinner (or lunch) will be on the table in 20 minutes or less!

And you won’t be compromising on flavor. The asparagus and shrimp complement each other perfectly. It’s one of those combinations that was just meant to be. And while this dish may be quick and easy, it also makes a fine presentation, equally suitable for a quick family meal or the primo piatto for an elegant dinner party. And its meatlessness makes it a fine choice both for pescatarians and those observing the Lenten fast.

So, my friends, here’s one dish you will definitely want to add to your repertoire.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 500g (1 lb) penne or other pasta (see Notes)
• 400 g (14 oz) thin asparagus, cut into short lengths
• 200 g (7 oz) medium shrimp, raw and peeled
• 1-2 shallots, finely minced
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• A dab of butter (say 1 Tbs)

Directions

Put a large pot filled with water on to the boil.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or braiser, sauté the shallot gently in olive oil. Add the cut up asparagus and let it sauté as well for a minute or two, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Now pour in a cupful or so of water, enough to almost cover the asparagus, cover and let the asparagus simmer until they are tender and most but not quite all of the water has evaporated.

Add your pasta and a good pinch of salt to the pot. Cook until al dente.

Just a minute or two before the pasta is done, add the shrimp to the asparagus, raising the heat and tossing the shrimp with the asparagus. Cook only until the shrimp have just turned pink. (They’ll cook some more in the next step.)

When the pasta is done, transfer it to the skillet, along with a small ladleful of the pasta cooking water and, if using, the butter. Toss everything together over a lively flame until the asparagus and shrimp are well mixed with and cling to the pasta. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Serve immediately.

Notes

Penne is an ideal choice for pasta con asparagi e gamberi. It mimics the shape of the asparagus, which I like to cut to about the same length as the pasta as well. You could use similar short pasta shapes like caserecce or strozzapreti, or larger ones like rigatoni. For a more elegant presentation, farfalle (bow ties) or a fresh ribbon shaped pasta like tagliatelle or pappardelle would do nicely. Truth be told, the asparagus and shrimp condimento would work nicely with just about any pasta shape you fancy.

As for the asparagus, the young, tender and slender variety works especially well here. It cooks quickly and its slender shape pairs well with penne and other short pasta shapes. But you could use thicker asparagus if that’s what you can find. Just make sure to trim the stalks of their woody bottom ends and peel off their tough skins starting just below the tips. They’ll also need a bit more simmering time.

As for the shrimp, opt for medium or even small ones, as they need to cook quickly. Larger shrimp are better for main courses, grilled or fried. For this rendition of pasta con asparagi e gamberi, I used medium (_____ count) shrimp, which to my mind are the ideal size. They cook quickly, but without much risk of overcooking. (There’s nothing in my opinion quite so offputting as overcooked shrimp!) Frozen, peeled shrimp is works perfectly fine, but do make sure they are fully defrosted.

Pasta con asparagi e gamberi is one of those pasta dishes that neither needs nor wants grated cheese. But if you’re one of those people who can’t imagine pasta without grated cheese, do use a young parmigiano-reggiano. A stronger cheeses like pecorino romano would absolutely ruin it.

Variations

It’s a little more fuss, but if you’d like a creamier version of pasta con asparagi e gamberi, you can take about half of the cooked asparagus and purée it in a blender or food processor with a ladleful of the pasta water (or, if you’re feeling extravagant, cream) before returning it to the skillet and simmering it for a few minutes more. In fact, in some renditions all but the tips of the asparagus are puréed, making for a super-creamy version.

Some recipes add another layer of flavor to the dish by calling for broth—either vegetarian or fish based—instead of water for simmering the asparagus. If you’re working with whole, unpeeled shrimp, you can use the heads, tails and shells to make your broth. In some versions, a splash of white wine goes over the sautéed asparagus to evaporate before adding the water or broth.

For a more elegant presentation, hold back some of the asparagus tips and/or the shrimp and use them to top each serving. In fact, if you really want to get fancy, you could sauté the shrimp separately and use them as a garnish. This separate cooking has the added advantage that you can make sure the shrimp are cooked just to the right degree.

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