Pasta with Shrimp and Vin Santo

Last Year's Post: Parmesan Chicken Bake (No Mayo)
Two Years Ago:   Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup (Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana)

This recipe is adapted from one of the pasta dishes at Bar La Grassa, a beloved Minneapolis restaurant.  Isaac Becker is its revered chef/owner.  Bar La Grassa has been red-hot ever since it opened in 2009 and pasta is one of its fortes.  Although I've been to the restaurant I've never had this particular dish, but people rave about it.  So when I stumbled across the recipe in a magazine courtesy of Bar La Grassa, of course I had to try it.  I was particularly curious about Vin Santo because I'd never heard of it.  Turns out it's a not-overly-sweet dessert wine that's not readily available in every corner liquor store, although the larger stores will probably stock it.  It pays to call around.  If you can't find it, the recipe suggests Moscato but I think a sweet Marsala or even brandy would also be a good substitute.

The first time I tried the recipe exactly as written.  Although the flavor was very good, I thought there was too much pasta for the amount of sauce and shrimp and that it was a little one-dimensional.  I scrolled through over 300 photos on Yelp for Bar La Grassa to see if I was missing something, but yup - they serve a bowl of primarily pasta with a coating of sauce and some shrimp.  I don't want to criticize Chef Becker's vision, but I typically like contrasts in flavor, color and texture in a dish so I cut down on the pasta and added peas, toasted pine nuts and a shower of black pepper the next time I made it, and liked it much better.  That's why I say it's "adapted from".  If you want a more authentic version leave out my additions and increase the pasta to 1 pound.  Oh, and use penne.  I used cavatappi because I think it looks more interesting, but the restaurant uses penne pasta.

It's a delicious dish, with a luscious creamy sauce that coats every piece of pasta and shrimp without leaving a big pool in the bottom of the dish.  Granted, I wouldn't eat it every day but it's a wonderful indulgence on special occasions.  Make it for your next date night dinner - it's fast and easy but very special.

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Pasta with Shrimp and Vin Santo

Serves 4

10 ounces penne (or other dried short-cut pasta such as cavatappi)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, cut in half lengthwise

¼ cup dessert wine, either Vin Santo or Moscato

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

½ cup frozen peas

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

Kosher salt and coarsely ground fresh black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water.  Remove from the heat 1 minute before it’s al dente; drain and toss with a splash of olive oil.

Warm the tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the shrimp and shallots.  Add a large pinch of salt and cook the shrimp in batches, if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, until they are barely translucent and not quite done (they will finish cooking later), about one minute per side. Remove the shrimp and set aside. 

Add the wine and cook until mostly evaporated, then add the cream and peas and cooking, stirring, for a minute or two to warm the peas and slightly reduce the sauce.  Add the pasta and shrimp to the pot and continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened and coats the pasta, 2-3 minutes.  There should not be much sauce left pooled in the bottom of the pan.  Add about ½ teaspoon kosher salt and the shredded basil and toss.

Serve in shallow bowls garnished with pine nuts, coarsely ground black pepper, and additional basil.