currently cooking: shrimp, tomato and basil pasta

Martha Stewart's Everyday Foods recipes never let me down.

Over this freezing weekend, we were craving a light pasta that would help us escape the freezing winds in NYC and think happy thoughts of warmer months.


Martha's Shrimp, Tomato and Basil Pasta was just ticket.





This pasta is clean, simple and scrumptious. Bonus? It's also really healthy so you don't feel quite so bad making it your naughty, cheat meal.


Check out the recipe below. We added a dash of red pepper flakes to the sauce to spice it up.


Shrimp, Tomato and Basil Pasta


Serves 4


Ingredients:


1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails removed)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
6 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound linguine
1 1/2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces, plus extra leaves for garnish


Directions:


1. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 4 teaspoons oil over high. Add shrimp cook until opaque throughout, turning occasionally, 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, set aside.


2. Make sauce: To the same skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garlic; cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add canned tomatoes and their juice along with 2 cups water: bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have softened and are saucy, about 15 minutes. Remove sauce from heat; stir in cherry tomatoes.


3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain; return pasta to pot. Add tomato sauce, shrimp, and basil; season with salt and pepper, and toss. Serve immediately, garnished with basil leaves, if desired.