Chef notes
The Alfredo sauce in this recipe mimics cream but doesn't have any dairy so you can enjoy classic pasta Alfredo even if you have a dairy intolerance or just want to cut out some cholesterol and saturated fat without feeling like you're cheating.
Tip: The sauce needs to simmer for 30 minutes, but if you cook the pasta, peas and shrimp while the sauce cooks, you can have dinner on the table in a little over 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 12 shrimp
- 1 cup fresh or frozen English peas
- 1 pound pasta, preferably orecchiette
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 2 cups water
- 2 shallots
- 4 large cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
For the shrimp:
Season shrimp with salt and red pepper flakes. In a pan large enough to hold all of the shrimp, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and sauté, stirring, until pink and cooked through, about four minutes.
For the Alfredo sauce:
In saucepan or large sauté pan, sauté shallots and garlic until tender, 1-2 minutes. Add cashews, water and salt. Simmer 30 minutes, then purée in blender until smooth.
For the pasta:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Toss cooked pasta with sauce, then add shrimp and peas and toss again. Serve.
