Squid Ink Pasta With Stir-Fried Crispy Garlic Shrimp

I know squid ink pasta is a bit of marketing magic, more flash than substance or more appropriately… eye candy! The flavor is practically the same as regular spaghetti, maybe with a bit more umami and a slightly thicker texture (other pasta shapes have this texture too), just with a more unusual color. So don’t worry about making this dish at home, in fact, this is one of those wonderfully basic pasta dishes. It’s simply sautéed spaghetti with stir-fried garlic shrimp, super simple but also delicious. Sometimes these are the dishes that taste the best…. right? ;D

It’s like that Italian/American cliché of sprinkling chopped cilantro around the rim of the plate, that doesn’t serve any purpose, it just makes the plate look messy. But for some recipes, a pinch of chopped cilantro on top of the dish before serving makes all the difference. It might seem simple, but it gives freshness and that extra touch that elevates the dish. Simple doesn’t mean basic, and of course… in this case I had to run to the pantry to grab a chunk of bread to clean the plate ;D This is a great combination of squid ink pasta that has like a tang of the sea and the garlic fried shrimp, it’s a match made in heav… I mean the sea! Yum, let’s get to the recipe!

Squid Ink Pasta With Stir-Fried Crispy Garlic Shrimp

Servings: 1
Time: 30mins
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: ★★★★★
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Pretty simple and fast recipe, like i said just a stir fry with pasta, simple sometimes can be the yummiest, try it out!

Ingredients

Black Spaghetti – 150g
Shrimps – 125g
Garlic – 6 cloves
Olive Oil – approx. 30ml
Coriander – a pinch
Black Pepper – a pinch
Salt – a pinch

Directions

If you bought frozen shrimp, defrost them or, better yet, leave them in the refrigerator to defrost overnight. Ideally, remove the shell and the digestive tract on the back of the shrimp so that they are thoroughly cleaned.
Start by preparing the squid ink spaghetti, as this will take the longest. In a pot over medium heat, with plenty of hot water and a pinch of salt, add the spaghetti and cook for about 12 minutes (or whatever the spaghetti package recommends), until it is almost done but still needs about 1 minute to become tender (aka al dente), then drain.

While the spaghetti is cooking, prepare a large frying pan (large enough to add the spaghetti later), cover the bottom generously with olive oil and add the peeled and sliced (not chopped) garlic cloves. Let them fry a little in the olive oil over medium/low heat until they begin to brown (note that garlic burns quickly, so don’t use too high a heat).

When the garlic begins to brown, add the shrimp and let them fry. Note that both shrimp and prawns cook quickly, you only need a few minutes on each side, and when they change color and curl up, they are ready.
Finally, season the shrimp with a little salt, pepper, and cilantro, stir in the drained and cooked spaghetti, mix everything well, and cook for another minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
That’s it! Remove from the heat and serve sprinkled with more cilantro. Bon appétit!

Notes:I used frozen shrimp that I obviously defrosted before cooking, but note that some frozen shrimp already come pre-cooked. You can use these too, they’re not as good, but you can. You just have to add them at the same time you add the spaghetti, because you only want to heat them up and not cook them again. Of course, the olive oil won’t absorb as much of the shrimp aroma.

This meal was really good and filling for one person (I was emptying out the pantry hehehe), but easily with a few more shrimp and a bit more spaghetti, you have a good meal for two people, no problem ;D

Don’t let your garlic go from golden to bitter faster than your ex went from sweet to sour! Also don’t overcook the shrimp, they go from perfect to rubbery in seconds.

Save some pasta water before draining, it helps bind the sauce if needed be.

Slice the garlic rather than chop it for better control over browning.

If you can’t find squid ink pasta, regular spaghetti works fine, you’ll miss the dramatic presentation but the flavors are still amazing.

This recipe for Squid Ink Pasta With Stir-Fried Crispy Garlic Shrimp was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Esparguete Preto com Camarões e Alho Fritos foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.