Shrimp Scampi on Angel Hair Pasta

With an appetizer of Baked Brie under our belts and hoping the last of the Trick-R-Treaters were behind us, I wanted something quick and light for a late supper last night. This hit the mark perfectly. Despite its elegant name, shrimp scampi is nothing more than sauteed shrimp with a garlicy, lemony wine sauce. It's a piece of cake to make, and oh, so delicious. I buy frozen shrimp with the shells and tails removed from my local grocer. Yes, yes, you could buy fresh shrimp and go to all the trouble of de-veining and shelling them yourself. But modern production techniques and flash-freezing technology have made available on the market a product that has no diminished quality, quick and east to prepare. So, why not take advantage of it?


Ingredients
1 lb shrimp, peeled, de-veined and tails removed
1 stick butter
1 tsp minced garlic
juice of two lemons
5-4 shavings of lemon zest
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 handful of dried parsley or 2 handfuls of fresh parsley
salt & white pepper to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 lb fresh angel hair pasta
4-5 oz grated Parmesan cheese (the Kraft green can is just fine)

The Recipe
Get 5 quarts of salted water boiling and prepare the pasta. Depending on whether or not you're using dried or fresh pasta, you will need nine minutes to two minutes respectively. You want to try to time the pasta to be done about the same time as your shrimp, and the shrimp won't take but 5-7 minutes to prepare.

Melt the butter in a saute pan over high heat, and then saute the garlic for a minute. Toss in the shrimp and saute for 3-4 minute until the shrimp turn pink. Remove them to a warm platter.

Toss in the white wine and allow it to bubble away, burning off the alcohol. Then put in the lemon juice. Reduce all the liquid by half, about three minutes.

Put the shrimp back into the sauce and add the parsley and lemon zest. Salt and pepper with the white pepper to taste. Bring the shrimp back to temperature, but don't overcook; just a minute more or so.

After draining the angel hair pasta well, put it in a large mixing bowl and toss with the shrimp and the scampi saute.

Plate out onto pasta bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper.