My mom makes a dish of spaghetti squash by adding the squash to the pasta water right before the pasta is done. As a chef who’s always looking to shave minutes off cooking times, I thought this was great. That’s why I cook the vegetables and pasta in the same pot in this recipe. Guess you never stop learning from your mom.
Ingredients
| 1 lb. dried spaghetti | Salt and freshly ground black pepper |
| 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed | 1 lb. asparagus, tips only |
| 4 Tbsp. Bertolli® extra-virgin olive oil | 1 ½ c. onion chopped |
| 1 tsp. Amore® garlic paste or 1 clove garlic, chopped | ¼ c. chopped tomato |
| ⅓ c. dry white wine | ½ c. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese |
| 1 c. chopped parsley | ⅛ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes |
Preparation
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, in heavily salted water. When the pasta is almost cooked, add the shrimp and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Drain everything, reserving one cup of the cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the tomato and wine and simmer until the wine is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the pasta mixture with a little bit of the cooking liquid to the sauté pan. Add the cheese, parsley, and crushed red pepper. Toss gently until everything is well combined and sauce is slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve.
Serves 4
Read about how Rocco was inspired to be a chef.
