This dish is comforting yet elegant, which is why I like to serve it at gatherings during the winter holidays. Best of all, it’s a very quick and easy go-to recipe for when you’re short on time and need to deliver something special.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　1 pound penne pasta

　　1/4 cup olive oil

　　1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

　　4 garlic cloves, minced

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

　　1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

　　1 cup dry white wine

　　1/3 cup bottled clam juice

　　3/4 cup heavy cream

　　1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

　　

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.

　　

Step 2

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

　　

Step 3

Add the tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the basil, 1/4 cup of the parsley, and the red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the clam juice and cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes until the sauce thickens.

　　

Step 4

Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the cooked shrimp, the drained pasta, and the remaining basil and parsley. Toss together until all ingredients are coated with the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 5

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.