Non-Dairy Creamy Shrimp & Basil Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes

This refreshing and flavorful pasta uses oat milk to keep things light, and uses a mixture of acidic ingredients to keep the flavor bright.

Yield: 4 Servings

Active Time: 45m

Total Time: 1h

INGREDIENTS:

• ½-1lb of Shrimp, by preference

• 2 Fresno/Jalapeno Chili Peppers, finely chopped

• 2T Fish Sauce

• 6 Garlic Cloves total; sliced thin

• 3T Oil

• Pinch of Sugar

• 1t Salt

• 1-2C Basil Leaves, whole, by preference

• 1 shallot, finely minced

• 8oz cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/4C of Oat Milk or Cashew Cream

• White Wine/ Verjus Blanc (optional)

• Parsley for garnish (optional)

• Pasta of your choice (I like 1/2lb of chickpea rotini)

RECIPE:

1. Remove tips/shells from shrimp and add to a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer for 20-30 minutes, until liquid is half reduced and fragrant. Drain and set aside. 

2. While shrimp stock simmers, combine fish sauce, chilis, garlic, sugar, salt, and oil in a medium bowl with the shrimp. Let sit for ten minutes but no longer than a half hour, or the acids will start to cook the shrimp! 

3. Cook pasta in the same pot, adding back just a splash of stock and healthy pinch of salt before cooking pasta two minutes shorter than the box instructs. Reserve 1/4C of cooking liquid.

4. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan over high heat, and add the shrimp for 1 minute undisturbed on each side, until pink, cooked through, and slighly blackened. Do not throw away the marinade! Remove shrimp to a small bowl. 

5. Heat one more tablespoon of oil to medium heat and sautee shallot for 1-2 minutes, add marinade (And you were going to toss it, weren’t you?) and oregano. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes and sauté for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the tomatoes have blistered and softened, smashing a few with the back of a wooden spoon. Add a bit of water to the pan if the contents begin to burn. Add cooked mixture to the shrimp bowl.

6. Add basil to pan and cook vigerously until wilted.

7. Add the pasta, shrimp stock, splash of wine, 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water, and the oat milk/cashew cream.  Cook an additional 1-2 minutes, tossing frequently, until the sauce has thickened and the pasta has absorbed most of the cooking liquid.  Remove from heat and toss in parsley. Garnish with remaining basil. Serve.