Chef notes

The heady smell of oil, butter, garlic and shrimp frying is one of life's greatest pleasures. Eating this pasta is like easting at a beloved Italian restaurant. Heaven.

Technique tip: Adding the pasta water to bring it all together and keep it saucy. So don't throw out your pasta water.

Swap option: Scallops, cooked crab or lobster meat.

Ingredients

Garlic Butter and Chile Breadcrumbs

1 cup breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pasta

1½ pounds large whole uncooked shrimp, with heads and tails on
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, finely diced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 cloves garlic, finely grated
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, zested

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried campanelle, mafaldine or angel hair pasta
Garlic Butter and Chile Bread Crumbs (recipe above)

Preparation

For the garlic butter and chile breadcrumbs:

In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the breadcrumbs in the butter along with the garlic, stirring often until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in crushed red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper.

For the pasta:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

Cut off the head of each shrimp and set aside. Remove the tails, peel the shrimp and discard the tails and shells. Using a sharp knife, make a shallow cut lengthwise along the back of each shrimp and then devein by removing the digestive tract with the tip of the knife. Cut each shrimp into three segments.

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt together the butter and olive oil, then add the shallots and red pepper flakes and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the reserved shrimp heads and continue to sauté for 3 to 4 minutes more, occasionally pressing down slightly on the heads with a wooden spoon to release the juices. Remove and discard the heads and any rogue bits of shell.

Turn the heat to medium-high, add the shrimp and garlic, and sauté until the shrimp are just pink, just a couple of minutes. Add the wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives and 1/2 cup of the parsley; season with the salt and pepper; and sauté until the wine has reduced by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Keep warm.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Using a large spider or slotted spoon, transfer the pasta to the shrimp sauce along with about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and toss to coat. Serve the pasta sprinkled with the breadcrumbs and garnished with the remaining 1/2 cup parsley.