Il Cucinologo
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Pasta with Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes, and Shrimp

17/11/2023

Pasta with zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and shrimp is a fresh and light dish, perfect for the spring or summer season. Here is the recipe to prepare this delicious first course.

Ingredients

  • 320 g of pasta (penne, spaghetti or the pasta of your choice)
  • 200 g of shrimp already cleaned
  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 250 g of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • Fresh chopped parsley (optional)
  • White wine (a splash for deglazing)

Preparation

  1. Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. After washing the zucchini, cut them into thin slices or cubes, depending on your preference.
  2. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of oil and add the whole garlic clove, letting it brown to flavor the oil. (At this point you can remove it or leave it, according to your taste).
  3. Add the zucchini to the pan and let them sauté until lightly golden.
  4. Meanwhile, wash the cherry tomatoes well and cut them in half. When the zucchini are ready, add the cherry tomatoes to the pan with the zucchini. Cook everything for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down a bit.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions, al dente.
  6. In another pan, sauté the shrimp with a drizzle of oil and a clove of garlic. Deglaze with a splash of white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
  7. Add the shrimp to the zucchini and cherry tomatoes, adjust salt and pepper, and let everything flavor for a few minutes.
  8. Drain the pasta al dente and transfer it to the pan with the sauce. Toss the pasta with the sauce for a few minutes, adding a bit of pasta cooking water if necessary to combine the sauce well.
  9. Plate the pasta and, if desired, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Trivia

The dish has colors and flavors that recall the sea and the garden, perfect for representing freshness and summer lightness. If you want to make the dish even richer, you can add a splash of cooking cream towards the end of cooking the shrimp to make it creamier.