The Hungry Apple

Ready for another pasta recipe?

This one has shrimp for all of you seafood lovers out there.

It also has white wine and that never made anything taste bad. I always recommend using a wine that you would like to drink . Just because we are cooking with it doesn’t mean it should be the cheapest.  Estancia Chardonnay seemed like a good choice for me. It is only $11 but it is crisp (remember-I am not a wine expert)  and isn’t too sweet.

This meal is pretty quick from start to finish. This is good so that your forks and bowls don’t get bored waiting on dinner to be ready. Forks and bowls can be very impatient.

I am always hesitant to order pasta with shrimp when I am out because I am afraid the shrimp will be small and small shrimp are wimpy.

I used 31/40’s in this and that is usually the smallest shrimp I like to use. If they are too small they are hard not to over cook. Salad shrimp are out of the question for me at all times.

Shrimp are low in calories and high in antioxidants which make them very popular. (They are however high in cholesterol, so don’t get too carried away if you need to watch yours.)

Low carbs in shrimp will help make up for the pasta 🙂

Wilted spinach and slightly sauteed onions give this meal great texture.

Once the spinach is wilted you just let the sauce thicken and you are ready to top with parmesan and eat! Calling all forks and bowls. It’s your turn!

While creamy marscapone brings it all together, if you didn’t want to buy marscapone you could substitute cream cheese, but I would recommend the marscapone.

Serve with white wine.

SHRIMP PASTA WITH SPINACH AND MARSCAPONE CHEESE

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

12 ounces bow-tie or small pasta (you could use rigatoni or penne too)

1 10 ounce package of fresh spinach

2 tablespoons of butter, divided

25 medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided

2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

1 cup vegetable broth

1/4 cup white wine

1 teaspoon lemon zest (or one tablespoon lemon juice-if you don’t want to zest)

4 ounces marscapone cheese (you could sub cream cheese if you had to)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

10 twists freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions and directions: 

Prepare pasta according to package directions, to al dente in lightly salted water.  Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt one tablespoon of butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp that have been peeled and deveined. Sprinkle with half of the salt and half of the pepper. Saute one minute on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.

Melt the other tablespoon of butter in the pan and add the onion. Saute 5-10 minutes until the onion is tender but not caramelized. Add broth, wine and lemon zest. Cook 7-8 minutes until sauce begins to thicken. Add marscapone cheese, nutmeg, remaining salt and remaining pepper. Add spinach and wilt. Add shrimp and pasta.  Toss to coat and warm shrimp and pasta.

Top with paremesan.