This February, make a dish to share with your loved one mimicking a lady and the tramp style date night. This pasta is a wonderful valentines sharing dish. 

Shrimp Bucatini

*Make sure to save some pasta water before draining. You can add this in while finishing your pasta to help “thicken” your sauce as the pasta water has great gluten to aid in a great sauce. Switch up the shrimp for any protein you prefer like chicken or crab. 

Ingredients

• 8 oz bucatini pasta (spaghetti or angel hair work too!)
• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled & deveined
• Salt & freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine 
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 cups baby spinach
• Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

Instructions:  

1. Cook the pasta
   Boil in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Pat shrimp dry. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and chili flakes.
   Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear shrimp 1–2 minutes per side until just cooked. Remove and set aside.
3. When you remove the shrimp, add into the same pan the cherry tomatoes to cook/ blister. Season with salt. Add butter and garlic to the same pan. Sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
   Deglaze with wine. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream and simmer gently until slightly thickened and spinach; let spinach wilt.
4. Add pasta and shrimp back to the pan. Toss, loosening with the reserved pasta water as needed. Finish with parmesan and herbs. Taste & adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, maybe one more pinch of chili flakes if you’re feeling bold.

Brendalee (Vialpando) Reiplinger is a Questa native who has worked her way up the culinary ladder and is currently executive chef at The Lodge at Bodega Bay, located off the Sonoma Coast in CA. Brendalee credits her hospitality and joy of preparing food from her upbringing in Questa.