Tagliarini With Shrimp And Caviar Recipes

TAGLIERINI WITH A SIMPLE SWEET TOMATO SAUCE AND SHRIMPS

Steps:

• Taglierini is a similar shape to fettuccine or egg noodles and lends itself well to creamy, buttery or light tomato-based sauces and especially little seafood numbers like this one. Feel free to use tagliatelle as well.
• Blanch and skin the tomatoes, then halve them and chop into small pieces.
• Put a pan of salted water on to heat for the pasta. Put a couple of lugs of olive oil in a second pan, and fry the prawns, garlic, lemon zest and tomatoes for a couple of minutes. Add the booze and allow to flame if you like. (The flame should go out after about 30 seconds, so don't worry!) Add the cream, allow to simmer gently for a couple more minutes and then remove the pan from the heat. Season the sauce carefully with salt, pepper and the lemon juice.
• Put the pasta into the boiling water - fresh will need only 3 minutes and dried will need to be cooked according to the packet instructions. If your sauce has cooled down then reheat it now. When the pasta is cooked, drain it in a colander and then toss with the parsley in the pan in which it was cooked. Check the seasoning, then divide on to your serving plates with the sauce on top. Serve straight away, telling your guests to stir the pasta up in their bowls every so often to keep the pasta moist.
• Try this: Crumble over a little ricotta or feta cheese - just a little bit - both of these cheeses have a nice texture, go really well with prawns and make it look great.
• And this: A handful of spinach added at the end gives a nice vibe - the heat will wilt it into the sauce.
• Or this: You can use tinned tomatoes for this dish but you won't get the freshness or lightness that you get from fresh tomatoes.

TAGLIARINI WITH MUSHROOMS, GARLIC AND SAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• While the water is coming to a boil, heat two and a half tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute over high heat until they have wilted and have started to brown. Stir in the garlic and when it begins to color, reduce the heat to low.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water, stir in and cook it for two to three minutes. Drain it well, put it in a warm bowl and toss with the remaining half tablespoon of oil.
• Increase the heat under the skillet and stir in the sage and pepper flakes, season to taste with salt and pour over pasta. Toss well and serve with Parmesan cheese on side.

TAGLIARINI WITH SHRIMP AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• 1 In a skillet large enough to hold all of the pasta, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until pink and almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp to a plate. 2 Add the vodka to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Cook until the cream thickens slightly, about one minute more. Stir in the shrimp and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the green onion and lemon zest. Remove from the heat. 3 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the pasta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente, tender yet still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. 4 Pour the pasta into the skillet with the sauce and toss well over medium heat. Add a little of the cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Divide the pasta among the plates. Top each portion with a spoonful of caviar and serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.