Recipe: 20 Minute Shrimp Pasta with Lemon Cream

It seems to me that trying to live without friends is like milking a bear to get cream for your coffee. It’s a whole lot of trouble, and then not worth much after you get it. – Zora Neale Hurston

Creamy, lemony, pasta-y goodness.

I picked up some interesting pasta from Winners a while back and was just waiting for some inspiration to use it. It was multi-coloured pasta in the shape of what only can be called cocks-combs.

The package called them crespelle but that’s completely wrong. Crespelle are Italian crepes. These are definitely not crepes. If anyone can identify them leave a comment. Perhaps that’s why they were at Winners (a local discount store) because the packaging was wrong? 

This is what was called crespelle on the package. If anyone
knows what they really are leave a comment.

Being in design/advertising myself I can only imagine the conversation that went on between the client and agency if that whas the case. Glad I wasn’t there.

You can use any shaped pasta with this dish, but choose one that has some surface, tooth and/or crevices. Whatever the name of the ones I purchased they were pretty groovy with lots of wavy crinkles to hold sauce. Just what the doctor ordered. And this is a sauce you definitely don’t want to go to waste.

Picture a lemony, creamy, cheesy, bright sauce tossed with pasta and just-cooked shrimp. Pair this with a salad and you have a fantastic Spring supper for four.

On the whole, people cook shrimp to death. If you ever have a dish where they're tightly curled and hard that's exactly what has happened. Shrimp only need to be cooked a few minutes.

The garlic adds depth, the cream and cheese richness, and the lemon a slight tartness that complements all three. As a matter of course shrimp are sweet so you can see how much is going on in what seems to be a very simple – and very quick – dish.

Fo goodness never over-cook your shrimp. Do you see that
some parts are still grey and uncooked? That's what you want
if you're going to simmer them for a couple minutes in a sauce.

In actual fact this is a simple dish with very few ingredients and (if you read) no herbs. It doesn’t need them. The best Italian dishes I have ever had were the most simple. 

Give this recipe a try, even if you’re not pressed for time. I’m sure it will become a favourite as fast as it is to cook!

20 Minute Shrimp Pasta with Lemon Cream

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 10 min  | Serves 4

2 tbsp butter

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 garlic cloves

1 cup whipping cream

juice of 1 lemon*

1 cup shredded reggiano parmigiana

1 bunch green onions

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Toss well to combine and serve. This would probably
be OK cold as well...

Melt the butter in a sauté pan or frying pan.

Add the shrimp and cook until nearly just cooked and remove to a dish. They still will be a little raw. This should take only about 2-3 minutes. The shrimp will finish cooking in the sauce.

Add the garlic to the butter in the pan. Sauté on medium until very fragrant.

Pour the whipping cream into the pan and then add the lemon juice and parmesan. Let cook until the sauce reduces somewhat and begins to thicken, abut 3-4 minutes maximum.

Add in the green onions and the shrimp into the sauce and let finish cooking through, about another two minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the cooked pasta and parsley to the shrimp and toss well to coat. Serve immediately.

*If you wish to boost the lemony flavour add 1 tsp of finely grated lemon rind.

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