Rigatoni with Shrimp, Calamari and Basil

By nancytripp

by Chef Michael White

Ingredients

• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, divided
• 14 ounces cleaned calamari (bodies only; tentacles reserved for another use), divided
• 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3 large)
• 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
• 1/3 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmesan cheese plus additional (for serving)
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Place half of shrimp in medium bowl. Slice half of calamari crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide rings and place in small bowl.

Coarsely chop remaining shrimp and calamari; place in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until shrimp mixture is finely chopped. Transfer to another medium bowl.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat 5 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks, garlic, and crushed red pepper; sauté until leeks are tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add chopped shrimp mixture; stir until shrimp and calamari are just opaque, about 2 minutes. Add clam juice and peas; simmer until flavors blend, about 3 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set sauce aside; cover to keep warm.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add reserved whole shrimp and sauté 2 minutes. Add calamari rings to shrimp; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until just opaque, about 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Drain pasta; return to same pot. Add chopped shrimp and calamari sauce, 1/2 cup cheese, and 1/2 cup basil and toss to blend.

Divide pasta among 4 bowls. Top each serving with sautéed shrimp mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup basil. Pass additional cheese separately and serve.

What to drink:

With the pasta, pour a dry white with a hit of acidity, like the Benito Ferrara 2009 Greco di Tufo (Italy, $25).