Monday, November 1, 2010

Pasta with Shrimp Calamari and Basil

We found this meal a little to bland for our tastes. Adding a little hot sauce to each serving improved the taste tremendously.I served a wedge salad.

Pasta with Shrimp Calamari and Basil
1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, divided
1/2 lb cleaned calamari , sliced, divided
12 ounces mediium to large size pasta (such as rigatoni. I used Creste Di Galli .. I had had never heard of it eaither but it was free when I bought 2 bottles of Coppola wine).
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leeks 
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional (for serving)
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided
Set aside half of the shrimp and calamari in a medium bowl.
Coarsely chop remaining shrimp and calamari using on/off turns for a food processor until shrimp mixture is finely chopped.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp oil in a skillet. Add leeks, garlic, and crushed red pepper; sauté until leeks are tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add chopped shrimp mixture; stir until shrimp and calamari are just opaque, about 2 minutes. Add clam juice and simmer to blend flavors, about 3 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set sauce aside; cover to keep warm.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add whole shrimp and sauté 2 minutes. Add calamari and cook until just opaque, about 2 minutes longer.
Add chopped shrimp and calamari sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, and 1/4 cup basil and toss to blend with drained pasta. Divide pasta among plates and top with sautéed shrimp mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup basil.Serve with additional Parmesan on the side.

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