Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (450g) linguine or angel hair pasta
  • 4 quarts (3.8L) water
  • 2 tbsp (30g) salt
  • 1.5 lbs (680g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tsp (5g) kosher salt
  • ½ tsp (3g) cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups (300g) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 cloves (20g) garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • ½ cup (120ml) dry white wine or chicken broth
  • ¼ cup (60g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup (15g) fresh basil leaves, torn by hand
  • ½ tsp (2g) crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is just shy of al dente (usually 1-2 minutes less than package directions). Reserve 1 cup (240ml) of starchy pasta water before draining.
  2. Pat shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shrimp in a single layer; sear for 1-2 minutes per side until golden and opaque. Remove shrimp immediately to a plate.
  3. In the same skillet, add the cherry tomatoes. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until the skins begin to blister and burst. Stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the white wine or broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the fond. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce. Turn heat to low and whisk in the cold butter cubes one by one until the sauce is velvety.
  5. Add the cooked pasta and seared shrimp back into the skillet. Toss vigorously to coat the pasta in the sauce.