Chorizo And Shrimp Pasta Recipe

If you're a fan of seafood and sausage paella, then you'll probably agree with recipe developer Ting Dalton of Cook Simply that there is nothing quite like the salty, spicy hard sausage known as chorizo juxtaposed with sweet and delicately meaty prawns. Dalton brought us this brilliant and highly gratifying recipe for crispy, paprika-laden chorizo with shrimp pasta. "It's a perfect match, Dalton tells Mashed. "Alongside the garlic and sweet tomatoes, this dish really transports me" to the sunny coastlines of the Mediterranean, especially when paired with a "glass of crisp white wine."

Dalton likes using prawns rather than shrimp for this dish, but you can substitute shrimp if that's all that you have on hand. And while Dalton adores the heat of fresh red chili pepper, "you can use chili flakes" in a pinch, or if you don't want the heat, then you can leave it out altogether. "Baby tomatoes have a lovely sweetness, but you can also use other types of tomatoes," she points out, and similarly, if you don't have spaghetti, tagliatelle will also work equally well here. Punchy paprika from the chorizo, garlic, and chili really make this a dish worth serving up for a midweek dinner or entertaining.

To make Dalton's recipe for chorizo and shrimp pasta, you'll need one cup of chorizo that has been cut into small chunks, king prawns or shrimp, deveined, and 14 ounces of dry spaghetti (which you will make according to the package directions). In addition, you'll need olive oil, halved grape tomatoes (also known as baby plum tomatoes) red chili, garlic, red wine vinegar, tomato purée, and finely chopped fresh chives. You'll also need salt and pepper for seasoning to taste.

Put a pot of salted water on your stove, and set the heat source to high. This will be the water in which you cook your pasta according to the package directions, except that you'll want to be sure to ladle off some pasta water before you drain the spaghetti in a colander. While the water is heating up, grab a skillet, pour the olive oil into it, add the chorizo, and set the heat source to high. Sauté the chorizo for three to four minutes until they just start to turn crispy. Then lower the heat to medium, stir in the tomatoes, and add a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the chorizo and tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You'll know this is done when the tomatoes are bursting.

Take the top off your skillet, and add in the garlic, tomato purée, chili, and red wine vinegar. Then increase the heat slightly and add in a couple of spoonfuls of the pasta water. The small amount of starch contained in the pasta water will help create a uniform sauce. Next, add the prawns to the sauce, stir, and allow them to cook for three to four minutes tops. While your patience may have been required to get those tomatoes to burst in the previous step, you'll want to make sure to avoid overcooking the prawns or shrimp. 

As soon as the prawns have become opaque, stir in the drained spaghetti with another splash of pasta water. Toss everything together well, then remove the skillet from the heat. Mix the chives into the spaghetti and sauce mixture and serve, garnishing with the extra reserved chives. You can store this pasta for up to three days in a suitable container in the refrigerator and heat it up again, Dalton advises Mashed. You could even freeze it for up to three months. "Just make sure to defrost thoroughly before serving," Dalton says.