Orecchiette with Shrimp, Pepperoncini and Basil

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This 30-minute shrimp pasta dish gets a powerful punch of flavor from spicy pepperoncini peppers and fresh basil!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Pasta, Quick, Shrimp, Weeknight

Servings:

Author: Nicole

1 ½ pounds extra-large shrimp 21-25 count, peeled, deveined, tails remove, and cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ½ cups (12-ounces) orecchiette pasta
⅓ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
½ cup (1-ounce) Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
¼ cup chopped pepperoncini plus 1 tablespoon brine
¼ cup capers rinsed and roughly chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Lemon wedges for serving

Place shrimp in a medium bowl and sprinkle shrimp with ¼ teaspoon of salt and baking soda. Let sit for 10 minutes and then refrigerate until ready to use.
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon of salt, cook, stirring frequently, until al dente (or cooked to your liking). Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
In now empty pot over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook until just opaque, about 4 minutes.
Off heat, add pasta, Parmesan, pepperoncini and brine, capers, basil, and reserved cooking water; toss to combine. Serve passing lemon wedges and extra Parmesan separately. Enjoy!

Tip:

A quick brine of salt and baking soda helps tenderize the shrimp.

This recipe is best served immediately and can easily be halved or doubled.