Shrimp and Burst Tomato Linguine

One of the things I remember from our honeymoon in Venice was that every pasta dish contained some fresh chopped tomatoes even though it was never listed as such on the menu. It always surprised me, and it always tasted really good. This dish is just a simple shrimp scampi that's kicked up a notch with fresh baby grape tomatoes. The tomatoes are left whole and are cooked until they just start to soften and burst but still retain a lot of their freshness. That, plus pasta, shrimp, and a garlicky wine sauce are my idea of the perfect summer dinner. Drinking cold white wine with it is not optional.


Shrimp and Burst Tomato Linguine:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and cook 1/2 lb. of pasta according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add in 3/4 lb. of peeled and deveined shrimp and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until pink and opaque.
• Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and leave the olive oil in the skillet.
• Add in 1/2 diced onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until soft.
• Add in 1/4 c. dry white wine and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add in 1 pt. of grape tomatoes, a pinch of red chile flakes, and a pinch of salt and reduce the heat to low.
• Cook for 8 minutes, pressing on the softened tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon until they burst.
• Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 c. pasta cooking liquid.
• Add the pasta, the cooking liquid, and the shrimp to the skillet with the tomatoes and toss to combine.
• Taste for seasoning, then divide onto plates and serve.

Serves two-three