Spaghetti with shrimp and cherry tomatoes is a tasty summer dish easy to cook in just under 30 minutes. There are those who prefer to use pre-peeled shrimp to avoid having to clean them, but the secret of this pasta lies precisely in the sauce obtained with their shell. As nonna often says: “Nothing should go to waste.” If cleaning the heads disgusts you, you can use shrimps only with their tails. Even if it takes a little longer to prepare, trust me, it’s all worth it.

Ingredients

• 300 g spaghetti or linguine
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic (peeled)
• 500 g cherry tomatoes
• 250 g canned peeled cherry tomatoes
• 500 /600 g shrimp (pre-cooked or raw)
• 250 ml white wine
• 250 ml water
• Fresh basil
• Salt to taste
• Peperoncino (optional)

Preparation

Clean the shrimp by removing their shell, the head if they are whole and the black guts, then set aside.

Boil water and salt to cook pasta.

In a small saucepan, brown a clove or two of garlic with extra virgin olive oil. Add the shells and shrimp heads and mix well. After 20-30 seconds, pour in the wine and let it reduce over medium-high heat for another 30 seconds. Add the water and let evaporate until reduced by half. Filter through a colander and set the juice aside.

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan with the garlic and hot pepper (optional) over medium heat, remove the garlic and pour in the washed and halved cherry tomatoes. After 3-4 minutes, add the can of cherry tomatoes and prawn juice, then let it reduce over medium-low heat until the pasta is ready.

Just before the pasta is al dente (2-3 min), sauté the shrimps with a touch of olive oil and a little chopped garlic (optional) over intense heat for 3-5 minutes, or until they take on a nice pink or orange color.

Once the pasta is ready, add the spaghetti and prawns to the cherry tomatoes, mix well and season by adding fresh basil. Turn off immediately, let the pasta absorb the juice and serve.