Ingredients:
- 12 ounces Linguine or Spaghetti
- 1 pound Large Shrimp (peeled & deveined)
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt (for pasta water)
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (cold, cubed)
- 6 large cloves Freshly Minced Garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 cup Dry White Wine (or chicken/vegetable stock)
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
- Freshly ground Black Pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add linguine and cook according to package directions, subtracting 2 minutes from the lowest suggested cooking time (it needs to be very al dente). Reserve 1.5 cups of the starchy pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in the large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook gently for 60–90 seconds until fragrant—do not let the garlic brown.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Add the seasoned shrimp to the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 1–2 minutes per side until just pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp immediately from the skillet and set aside.
- Deglaze the hot pan by pouring in the white wine. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the wine by half (about 2 minutes).
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the fresh lemon juice. Begin whisking in the cold, cubed butter, a few cubes at a time, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens slightly and looks glossy.
- Add the slightly undercooked pasta directly into the skillet with the sauce. Add about 1/2 cup of reserved starchy pasta water. Toss vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce clings beautifully to the noodles. Add more pasta water, splash by splash, if the sauce seems too tight.
- Return the cooked shrimp to the pan. Toss gently to reheat (about 30 seconds). Stir in the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving immediately.