Simmer luscious tomatoes with sweet onions and garlic plus a pop of heat from red pepper flakes to create a thick, rich sauce. Toss in a handful of fresh basil, soften with a pour of heavy cream before adding tender shrimp to gently cook in this gorgeous sauce. Toss with strands of angel hair pasta and a simple recipe is transformed into an elegant, delectable plate.
Cook Time 1 hourhr
Course Dinner, Lunch, Lunch and Dinner
Servings 4servings
Equipment
Large sauté pan
Immersion blender
Stockpot
Ingredients
2tablespoonsbutter
2tablespoonsolive oil
1-½cupschopped sweet onion, about 1 medium onion
1teaspoonchopped garlic
¼teaspoonred pepper flakes
1large cancrushed tomatoes, 28-ounces
½teaspoondark brown sugar
1teaspoonkosher salt, plus extra for cooking the pasta
¼cupheavy cream
¼cupchopped fresh basil, plus extra for serving
1poundshrimp, peeled and deveined
¾ to 1*poundangel hair pasta
¼cuppasta water
For serving, chopped fresh basil and shredded Parmesan
Instructions
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until transparent and very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir in the brown sugar and kosher salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, letting the sauce thicken, stirring occasionally.
Once the sauce has thickened, purée it with an immersion blender until it’s fairly smooth.
Add the heavy cream and fresh basil along with the shrimp. Continue cooking over medium-low for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through.
While the shrimp are cooking, place the angel hair pasta in a large pot of heavily salted boiling water and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Scoop out ¼ cup of the pasta water and stir into the sauce.
Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, ladle on half of the sauce, tossing to coat the pasta.
To serve, plate the pasta, top with additional sauce, a sprinkling of chopped, fresh basil and shredded Parmesan cheese.
Notes
*If you like more sauce to pasta ratio, go with 3/4 pound pasta.