Farfalle with Shrimp & Garlic Breadcrumbs

Farfalle Pasta with Shrimps & Garlic Breadcrumbs

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 tbsp butter (I used salted, but the choice is yours)
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (I used Challah and left the crust on)*
8 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 lb uncooked, peeled , deveined jumbo shrimp (but really any size will do - the bigger they are the longer they need to cook)
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
juice of lemon
1/2 tsp crushed chili pepper seeds/flakes
8 oz farfalle pasta, cooked (I love the bowtie shape, but use whatever you fancy)
1/2 cup pasta cooking water reserved

Directions:

1. In a large pot, cook pasta in salted water. Drain the pasta and don't forget to reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water for the final dish.
2. In the meantime, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large non stick skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and half the minced garlic. Saute until the crumbs are golden and crisp - 8-10 minutes. (You might want to add a little more olive oil here if the breadcrumbs look too dry...it's a personal preference thing). Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Season the shrimp - mine were huge so I cut them in half - sacrilege, I know.
4. Heat the remaining oil and butter in the same skillet over medium high heat and add the shrimps and the rest of the garlic. Saute until the shrimp are opaque in the middle (3-4 minutes).
5. Stir in half the parsley, all the lemon zest and juice and chili pepper seeds. Toss and add the cooked pasta and cooking water and half the breadcrumb mix.
6. Mix well and taste for seasonings.

Sprinkle the rest of the bread crumb mixture as well as the rest of the parsley over everything and serve with a simple salad...I like romaine hearts with a sort-of-Caesar Dressing, personally.

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