Shrimp Shell Pasta Sauce

Pasta tossed in a cream sauce infused with reserved shrimp shells.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Pasta
• Reserved Shrimp Shells from 1–2 lbs Shrimp, Left Over from a Previous Preparation
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1–2 Shallots, Finely Minced
• 4–6 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
• 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• ¾ cup Dry White Wine
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 3 Tbsp Cold Butter
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper to Taste

Method

1. COOK THE AROMATICS: Heat a pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes until it darkens slightly and coats the bottom of the pot.
2. INFUSE THE SHELLS: Add the reserved shrimp shells. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the shells turn pink and begin to lightly brown and stick to the pot. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer until reduced by about half. Add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly and the shrimp flavor to infuse.
3. BLEND AND STRAIN: Carefully blend the sauce until smooth to extract maximum flavor from the shells. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean large sauté pan, pressing firmly on the solids. Discard the shells.
4. FINISH THE SAUCE: Return the strained sauce to low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then whisk in the cold butter until glossy and emulsified.
5. COOK AND TOSS THE PASTA: Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until just shy of al dente. Reserve some pasta water, then drain. Add the cooked pasta and toss gently. Allow the pasta to finish cooking to al dente in the sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time if needed to help distribute the sauce.