Description
Succulent shrimp and crispy pancetta team up with tender artichokes in a vibrant white wine sauce, tossed with perfectly cooked paccheri pasta.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 6 medium-size fresh artichokes
- 2 lemons
- 5 ounces (140 g) pancetta or bacon, diced small
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/3 cups (80 ml) water
- 1 lbs (450 g) shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 3/4 cups (180 ml) dry white wine
- Salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 14 ounces (400 g) paccheri pasta
- 1/4 cups (15 g) Fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preparing the Artichokes
- Fill a large bowl with about 4 cups of water. Squeeze the juice from one lemon into the bowl and add the lemon slices. Set aside.
- Clean the Artichokes
- Cut off most of the stems, leaving about 1/2 inch from the base. Slice off the tops and discard. Tear away the tough outer leaves by snapping them backward one at a time. Trim the sides with a paring knife to make them even. Use a spoon to dig inside the central part of the artichoke to remove the choke (hairy part). Place the cleaned artichoke in the bowl of lemon water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
- Preparing the Pasta and Sauce
- Boil Water for Pasta
- Over medium-high heat, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
- Cook the Pancetta
- While waiting for the water to boil, fry the pancetta in a large, dry saucepan over low-medium heat until crispy. Transfer the pancetta to a plate and discard the grease.
- Slice the Artichokes
- Drain the artichokes and slice them into smaller pieces.
- Sauté Garlic and Artichokes
- In the same saucepan, add the olive oil and sauté the garlic over medium heat until fragrant. Add the sliced artichokes and cook for about 8 minutes. Add the 1/3 cup of water, cover, and simmer until the water evaporates.
- Cook the Shrimp
- Add the shrimp to the saucepan with the artichokes and toss until the shrimp change color. Pour in the white wine and let it evaporate. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Turn off the heat and cover the pan when the liquid has reduced.
- Cook the Pasta
- When the water for the pasta is boiling, add some salt and cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.
- Combining and Serving
- Combine Pasta and Sauce
- Warm up the sauce over low heat, add the cooked pasta, crispy pancetta, and chopped parsley. Mix well, adding a bit of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Serve
- Serve the pasta hot, garnished with additional fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use high-quality pancetta or substitute with guanciale.
- If fresh artichokes are unavailable, use frozen artichoke hearts (thawed and drained).
- To prevent overcooking the shrimp, add them to the sauce only until they turn pink and opaque.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 200