Equipment
Ingredients
Lemony Breadcrumbs
- 50 g panko breadcrumbs
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested
Pasta and Vegetables
- 400 g orecchiette pasta
- 300 g broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 5cm pieces
Sauce and Seafood
- 400 g large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- 60 g 'nduja, crumbled or torn into small pieces
- 400 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 garlic, minced
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Heat 30ml olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add panko breadcrumbs and toast, stirring constantly until deeply golden brown. Transfer to a small mixing bowl, stir in the lemon zest and a pinch of salt, then wipe the skillet clean.
Bring heavily salted water to a rolling boil in a large pot.
Drop the broccoli rabe into the boiling water and cook until tender-crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Maintain the boiling water.
Add the orecchiette to the same boiling water and cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions. Reserve 200ml of starchy pasta water before draining.
While pasta cooks, heat 15ml olive oil in the large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and sear until just opaque and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 63°C/145°F. Remove shrimp and set aside.
Reduce skillet heat to medium. Add the 'nduja and minced garlic, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the sausage until the bright red fat renders and the garlic is fragrant.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Cook, pressing gently, until the tomatoes soften, release their juices, and form a thick sauce with the 'nduja fat.
Add the drained orecchiette, blanched broccoli rabe, and cooked shrimp into the tomato sauce. Pour in 100ml of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously over medium heat until the starchy water and fat emulsify into a silky sauce that coats the pasta perfectly.
Divide the pasta immediately among four bowls. Garnish generously with the lemony breadcrumbs just before serving to maintain their crispy texture.
Chef's Notes
- 'Nduja is a fermented, highly seasoned pork salumi from Calabria. Its spreadable texture allows it to dissolve completely into a cooking fat, making it an incredible base for deeply flavorful, spicy sauces.
- Orecchiette, meaning little ears, is the ideal pasta shape for this dish. The concave centers perfectly cup the small crumbles of 'nduja and the burst cherry tomatoes.
- Never add breadcrumbs directly to the serving pot. The ambient moisture and steam from the sauce will instantly turn them into mush. Always add them to individual plates right before eating.
- Blanching the broccoli rabe in the pasta water serves two purposes: it heavily seasons the vegetable and it infuses the pasta water with an earthy flavor that bridges the gap between the pasta and the sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store breadcrumbs separately at room temperature in an airtight container.
Reheating: Warm pasta and sauce in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water until heated through. Top with room temperature breadcrumbs.
