Quick Meals Upon Landing: Bucatini with Spicy Shrimp

After a week on the road, I am happy to get back home to my kitchen, and hungry to make dinner happen quickly.  Traveling via Newark means I land at 8:00PM and arrive home at 8:30PM, and want dinner on the plate by 9:00PM.  This time pressure means I need shelf-stable bases, quick thawing protein, and vegetables from the fridge or garden.  (Obviously no time to shop, unless its Hudson News in EWR Terminal C).  Spicy shrimp bucatini is one of my favorites.

My mom introduced me to bucatini and I am obsessed.  It has more bite than spaghetti, less bulk than linguini or fettucini, and I don't know how to make it myself (how do they get that little hole all the way through!?).  It makes a great base for a quick pasta dish as it can hold up to a fresh, chunky sauce.

I always keep Gulf shrimp frozen in half pound portions, peel on and head off.  They can be thawed quickly in a bath of room temperature water in the sink while the water boils and I prep the vegetables. This dish doesn't require a protein, but a few shrimp really dress it up.  Bucatini cooks in twelve minutes, shrimp cook in three, and the tomatoes only require a quick turn in the skillet.  Welcome home dinner in less than 30 minutes - achieved!

Welcome Home Bucatini with Spicy Shrimp

Serves one hungry traveler with leftovers for lunch

1/3 package bucatini (I use De Cecco)
8 gulf shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined* with heads removed
1 tbsp. olive oil, plus drizzle for pasta
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
Fresh herbs
Shaved parmesan

Bring large pot of salted water to boil.  Add pasta and cook for twelve minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.  Drain and drizzle with olive oil.

Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, heat to a shimmer.  Add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Try to avoid browning the onion, but this can be difficult for the impatient chef, so just do your best.  Add shrimp and cook for a minute or two on each side, until lightly browned and opaque throughout.  Add tomatoes and cook for one minute.  Remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper, herbs and pasta. Garnish with shaved parmesan and serve immediately.

*On deveining shrimp.  I always do it for company, but I don't always do it for myself.  Is that gross?  Probably.  But I love peel and eat shrimp, and those certainly aren't deveined.  And neither are crawfish.  You can decide for yourself.  You're probably not gross like I am, anyway.