It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why Italian American red sauce restaurants are almost universally comforting. Maybe it’s the checkered tablecloths and the heaving platters of food. Or, perhaps, the reassuring familiarity of the menu. From penne alla vodka to spaghetti and meatballs, it’s like seeing old friends. Fra diavolo is a stalwart among the classics, adorned with pink claws of lobster or shrimp or a jumble of mixed seafood. Fans will appreciate it for the lick of heat from crushed red pepper flakes, a high point in an otherwise simple tomato sauce. Here, however, the usual canned tomatoes are replaced with jarred roasted red peppers, a subtle but effective change that imparts a smokier, sweeter allure to the dish that plays off the sweetness of the shrimp. Speaking of which, frozen shrimp is infinitely easier to deal with and often fresher than “fresh” shrimp from the store (which is almost always previously frozen anyway). Look for smaller shrimp so every mouthful of pasta contains a bite.
What you’ll need
Blender
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Large Pot
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Glass Measuring Cup
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Wooden Spoon
$9 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Remove 1 lb. frozen peeled, deveined small shrimp from bag and place in a large bowl. Pour in cool water to cover and let sit until mostly thawed, about 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Return to bowl, add 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, and toss to coat. Set aside.
Step 2
Meanwhile, blend one 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained, in a blender until smooth. Set aside.
Step 3
Cook 12 oz. bucatini or other long-strand pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid.
Step 4
Heat ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Cook 1 medium onion, finely chopped, 8 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped, 10 oil-packed anchovy fillets, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, stirring often, until onion is softened and anchovies are dissolved, 5–7 minutes. Add ¼ cup double-concentrated tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until darkened slightly, about 4 minutes. Add 1 cup dry white wine, 1½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 tsp. sugar; cook, stirring and scraping bottom and sides of pan, until wine is reduced by half, about 4 minutes.
Step 5
Pour reserved red pepper purée into pot. Pour 1 cup pasta cooking liquid into blender and swish around to get every last bit of purée; pour into pot. Add 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces, pasta, and reserved shrimp and cook, stirring often and adding up to ½ cup pasta cooking liquid a little at a time if needed, until shrimp are cooked through and pasta is coated in sauce, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Step 6
Divide among plates; top with chopped parsley.
Recipe notes
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