Shrimp Scampi Pasta

There are some days that I just don't want to have a heavy dinner. This dish is light yet incredibly satisfying. It has a lot of flavor and besides that, I love shrimp! You can use any kind of pasta you like but I love the curly noodles, cellentani. I'm sure linguine or fettuccine would go well with this also.

Shrimp Scampi with Pasta
16 oz. box of any kind of pasta you desire
2 Tbsp. of Butter plus and extra 4 Tbsp. of butter
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil plus and extra 4 Tbsp. of oil
2 Shallots, Diced
10 cloves of garlic, diced
1 pkg. grape tomatoes - cut in half
1 Lb. uncooked shrimp, deviened
3/4 cup white wine
1 Lemon, juiced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Red Pepper flakes, salt and pepper for flavor
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to a boil, add a handful of salt & the pasta. When pasta is done, reserve a cup of pasta water (you can use this later if the pasta is too dry) Drain the pasta, then set aside.

Meanwhile, in another pot or large pan, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute shallots, garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes until shallots are translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, add to pan. Add grape tomatoes to pan. After about 2-3 minutes, remove shrimp and grape tomatoes from pan and set aside. Add wine & lemon juice and bring to a boil. Let cook down 2-3 minutes. Add remaining 4 Tbsp. butter and 4 Tbsp olive oil. When butter has melted, return shrimp and tomatoes to pan, along with chopped parsley and cooked pasta. If the pasta looks dry, add some of the reserved pasta water to pan. Stir well and season with salt and pepper and more red pepper if you like. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, top with grated parmesan cheese and serve. Goes great with a Caesar salad.