Penne alla Betsy
This is a super fast and super easy pasta dish. I got the recipe from the Ree Drummond’s newest cookbook, “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl”. She named this dish after her sister, Betsy. Essentially, “Penne alla Betsy” is just another name for Penne alla Vodka, which is an Italian dish made with penne pasta, vodka, heavy cream, crushed tomatoes, and diced onions. I love shrimp, and the sauce and herbs with the pasta are outstanding. Enjoy!
Saute shrimp over medium-high heat in 1 tbsp butter and olive oil for about 2 minutes, or until opaque.
Remove shrimp and saute onion and garlic in remaining 1 tbsp butter and olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
Add shrimp to sauce.
Add herbs and cooked, drained pasta. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Penne alla Betsy
Ingredients
1 lb. penne pasta
1 lb. large shrimp
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine (I omitted)
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
Milk for thinning
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Bring pot of water to a boil. Cook the penne until al dente (firm yet tender). Drain and set aside.
2. Begin by peeling and deveining shrimp and rising them under cold water.
3. In a small skillet over medium-heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the shrimp. Stir and cook on both sides until it is just starting to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and allow to cool slightly.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and onion. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
5. If using wine, pour into pan and allow to evaporate, about 45 seconds. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low.
6. Pour in the cream. Stir well to combine; reduce heat to simmer.
7. Add the shrimp to the sauce and stir gently to combine. Next add the herbs and cooked, drained pasta. Stir gently to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little milk to get it to the right consistency. Add salt and pepper. Serve.
Yield: 4-6 servings