Spotlight on Blogger Aid

I wanted to be sure to highlight BloggerAid – Because We Can Help before tomorrow’s deadline. Equal Opportunity Kitchen is sponsoring this event to help raise awareness of the new BloggerAid group started by Equal Opportunity Kitchen, Ivy of Kopiaste, and Val of More Than Burnt Toast.

This is my submission — while I have been cooking quite a bit since last week, the theme of the event is to post a recipe that you would serve a hungry guest in your home — and that, to my mind, always brings a hearty plate of pasta, so I am reposting last week’s Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Feta recipe because it really is just that yummy.

Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Feta

(inspired by Rachael Ray’s 2-4-6-8 book — the original recipe had olives and a longer cooking time, and is also available here)

(serves 2)

1/3 pound linguini
1/2 pound medium to large shrimp deveined and peeled, tails removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Couple pinches red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
2 sprigs fresh oregano, finely chopped
1/4 cup capers, chopped
1/3 cup white wine, eyeball it
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

Directions

Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Reserve a cup pasta cooking water.

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.

While the pasta water comes to a boil, heat extra-virgin olive oil in a deep skillet with garlic. When garlic is brown, remove and reserve. Add shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, oregano, capers, and wine and cook together a couple of minutes more (be careful not to overcook the shrimp). Remove from heat. Add a small ladle (1/3 cup or so) of starchy pasta cooking water to sauce and some lemon juice. Drain pasta and add to the skillet. Let pasta soak in juices for a minute then toss with parsley, lemon zest and feta. Use tongs to pull pasta from skillet, giving it a turn to twist in as many ingredients as possible. Then, use the tongs to remove and arrange the shrimp and ingredients that may remain in the pan, distributing them evenly among the portions. (See below for picture)