Shrimp Fra Diavolo

This is one of my all time favorite meals.  Fra Diavolo, meaning “Brother Devil” in Italian, is named for the spicy red sauce that this dish delivers.  Easily finished with a simple salad and garlic bread, this meal can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. I often use frozen shrimp for this meal, as most grocery stores sell bags of shrimp already deveined in the 30-40 count size that I prefer to use for my shellfish pasta dishes.  Deveining shrimp is not something that I enjoy doing, so I will always pick up a few bags of these shrimp when they are on special.   I know that some have an aversion to frozen shrimp because it is not “fresh” shrimp so let me ease your mind a little.  Unless you are buying from a local fisherman or market, you are purchasing shrimp that has been frozen.  What are the benefits of using frozen shrimp?  It is fresher (because it has not been defrosted), it is cheaper, and it is able to last much longer if you choose to buy in bulk and store in the freezer.   Don’t get me wrong, nothing beats a fresh catch, but this is a close second!   

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
• ½-1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes  (depending on how hot you like it)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• ½ lb of linguine pasta

Directions

1. Prepare large pot to cook pasta.
2. Toss the shrimp in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, pinch of salt and red pepper flakes.  Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.  
5. Add the wine and simmer for 1 minute and then add the tomatoes with their juices and oregano. 
6. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
7. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley.
8. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat until just tender, 11–13 minutes.
9. Serve the shrimp mixture over pasta.