Shrimp Pasta

Tonight I had a mad craving for a pasta dish my friend Anne cooked a couple of months ago. (I happened to be over for a visit that extended into supper time, and boy was I glad she was making extra and invited me to stay!)

Couldn't reach her in time to get the recipe, which I knew existed only on paper. But I remembered she'd told me it was a lot like a lemon spaghetti recipe I have in my River Cafe cookbook. So, I used that and sort of made up the rest.

Boil a large pot of salted water for a pound of whole wheat thin spaghetti. While the water is heating, juice 3 or 4 lemons. Mix with about 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil. Grate about a cup of fresh Parmesan. Wisk into the lemon juice and oil. Add a little grated lemon rind if you'd like.

Saute some garlic in olive oil and add two cans diced tomatoes. (Yes, it sort of killed me to use canned tomatoes when fresh ones are in season, but it was so much faster!) Add about 1/2 pound cooked, peeled shrimp (or you could simmer them in the tomatoes until done) and warm the shrimp in the hot tomatoes. Dust with crushed red pepper so it has a little kick. Keep on low until the pasta is ready.

Cook the pasta, and when it is done and drained, add the lemon/oil/cheese mixture and toss with the tomatoes and shrimp. Add as much chopped fresh basil as you can afford (the lemon spaghetti recipe says "two handfuls," whatever that is...I got one $2 package and wish I'd had two). Serve with salt and pepper and extra grated Parmesan.