Shrimp Piccata Pasta

“Piccata” is a sauce prepared with garlic, white wine, capers, and red pepper flakes typically used with chicken or veal. We thought it would be compatible with shrimp, too, especially when served over linguini. Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Sear the shrimp over high heat until just barely cooked through, then set them aside until the sauce is prepared. In this fashion, one pan can be used for cooking both the shrimp and the sauce, and the sauce will pick up any flavors left behind by the shrimp.
• Cook the red pepper flakes with the garlic to maximize their flavor.
• Make sure to thoroughly salt the water in which the pasta is cooked. We recommend 1 tablespoon of table salt per gallon of water. Pasta cooked in unsalted water will taste very bland.