If you can't handle the heat...

Get out of my blog.

I like things spicy, folks.

Today's lunch was Friday's leftover dinner: Shrimp fra Diavolo with Lemon Capellini. It was delicious served hot on Friday, but I think I like it even more chilled after it has had a day to flavor-tango in the fridge. Num. I showed some restraint when adding the chili flakes, but I still more than doubled the amount called for in the recipe. There's some chopping involved here, but it's still a very simple, straightforward meal that doesn't require a ton of expertise.

The lemon capellini is an outstanding complement to the spicy shrimp--the cool, subtle flavor of the sauce and the bright green color of the basil are just parfait. There I go with pretentious French words again...

Stephen says: Oh yeah.

Stephen's rating: 8

Lessons learned: Be careful with those shrimp! I overcooked mine slightly, which really impacts the tenderness of the shellfish. No one wants chewy shrimpers! Also, I need to look into a better way to devein. Any tips?

Also, a pound of capellini is a motherload of pasta. Probably will halve that next time.

Serving suggestions: Pair this with the dry white wine you use in the shrimp dish and serve with a classic Caesar salad.

Recipes

Courtesy Giada De Laurentiis (again!)

Shrimp fra Diavolo

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined

1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed

1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes (note: we used at least 2.5 teaspoons)

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons

1 medium onion, sliced

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 cup dry white wine

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil. Season with more salt, to taste, and serve.

Lemon Capellini

1 pound capellini

2/3 cup olive oil

2/3 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the oil, Parmesan, and lemon juice in a large bowl to blend.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the pasta with the lemon sauce, and the reserved cooking liquid, adding 1/4 cup at a time as needed to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped basil.