Small shrimp make a lovely addition to skillet sauces, because they cook so quickly, barely 2 minutes in the skillet. The trick is to make sure that you don’t overcook the shrimp. If you can, start your pasta before the sauce, so they finish at the same time. But if your pasta isn’t ready when the shrimp and sauce are, take the skillet off the heat.

　　

Ingredients

for 1 pound of pasta

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　7 or 8 fat garlic cloves, sliced (about 1/2 cup)

　　About 12 whole Tuscan-style peperoncini in vinegar, drained, seeded, and thinly sliced (1/4 cup)

　　1 pound (about 2 dozen) small shrimp, washed, peeled, and deveined

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 cup of scallions cut into thin rounds

　　4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) soft butter, plus 2 tablespoons for finishing

　　Hot water from the pasta-cooking pot

　　1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. If you are using dry pasta, start cooking the pasta 5 minutes before you start sauce; if you are using fresh, start the sauce and then put on the pasta to cook at the same time.

　　

Step 2

Pour the olive oil into a big skillet, scatter the garlic slices in, and set over medium-high heat. Cook for 1 minute, until the garlic is sizzling.

　　

Step 3

Scatter the slices of peperoncino in a hot spot; cook for 1 minute; shake the pan now and then.

　　

Step 4

Push the garlic and peppers to the side; turn the heat to high. Drop the shrimp in the center of the skillet and spread them so they’re not crowded. Sprinkle on the salt, and let them sizzle for 1/2 minute.

　　

Step 5

Flip the shrimp over, giving the skillet a good toss or stirring and turning them; cook another 1/2 minute or so, until the flesh is just turning opaque.

　　

Step 6

Scatter the scallions into the skillet; toss and stir in with the shrimp, for 20 to 30 seconds, just until they’re sizzling.

　　

Step 7

Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and cook until it is melted and starts to simmer, 10 to 20 seconds.

　　

Step 8

Ladle in 2 cups of boiling pasta water. Stir up everything in the skillet, and let the sauce boil for only a moment. If the pasta is ready to add, turn down the heat to very low. If the pasta is not ready, remove the skillet from the heat immediately; set it back over low heat when you do add the pasta.

　　

Step 9

When the pasta is done al dente, scoop it up and drop into the shrimp pan. Toss briefly, sprinkle on the parsley, and toss again. Remove from the heat, drop the remaining 2 tablespoons butter on top of the pasta, and toss in. Serve right away.

　　

USING “PASTA WATER” TO MAKE A QUICK SAUCE

Step 10

Boiling, salted pasta water is an essential component of skillet pastas, both in the sauce-making stage and in finishing the dish. Here are tips for when to add pasta water:

　　

Step 11

After you’ve caramelized all your seasonings and sauce ingredients, add water from the pasta pot as a medium to extract and blend their flavors.

　　

Step 12

Add water to prevent scorching if something is browning too fast!

　　

Step 13

In a large skillet, liquid will evaporate quickly. Replenish the moisture with pasta water whenever needed.

　　

Step 14

If your sauce is complete but must wait a while for the pasta to cook, it may thicken. Add more water (and bring it to a good simmer) before dropping in the pasta.

　　

Step 15

If there’s not enough sauce to coat the pasta when you’re tossing them together in the skillet, add more water.

　　

Step 16

A thin pasta, like capellini or spaghetti, will absorb more liquid than a tubular pasta, so be prepared to add more water as you toss the strands with sauce.

　　

Step 17

Remember that the cooking water is salty and starchy—qualities that can add seasoning and body during the final cooking of pasta and sauce.

　　

Good With . . .

Step 18

Linguine

　　

Step 19

Cappellini

　　

Step 20

Tagliatelle

　　From Lidia's Family table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright (c) 2004 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York. Jay Jacob's journalism has appeared in many national magazines.From the Trade Paperback edition.