Fettucine in Charred Tomato Sauce and Shrimp

It's quite embarrasing that I haven't posted here in such a long time.  Here is a GREAT recipe that I just discovered in a new cookbook I ordered recently called, "The Athlete's Palate Cookbook." Mike and I have found that if we work together on this one that is doesn't take that long to make it.  Mike prepares the shrimp and tomatoes and puts them on skewers and then grills them.  He does the tomatoes at 450 for about 10 minutes making sure to rotate them.  The shrimp is also cooked at 450 for about 8 minutes rotating every 2 minutes.  He prepares both the shrimp and tomatoes by coating them in olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Since our kids aren't huge tomato fans we usually half this recipe for the tomato sauce and then just give them the plain fettucine noodles.  One of the greatest things about this recipe is how simple and fresh it tastes.  It is so yummy!

Fettucine in Charred Tomato Sauce and Shrimp

(photo taken from "The Athlete's Palate Cookbook")

Charred Tomatoes

12 plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I just finely chop them into small pieces)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (I use regular black pepper)
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
3/4 lb fresh fettucine, cooked al dente
Fresh basil sprigs, for garnish

Shrimp

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
20 large shrimps, peeled and deveined


Tomatos

Place the tomatoes on a very hot grill plan (we use skewers placed in a grilling rack that we can rotate easily) and char on all sides, turning with tongs, about 7 to 10 minutes.  Remove them, cool slightly, and coarsely chop. 


Sauce

Heat the oil in a large, high-sided saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the charred tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook until the tomatoes are soft and break down completely, 20 to 30 minutes.  Stir in the basil.  Add the cooked pasta and, using tongs, stir to coat the pasta evenly.

Divide the past among four large, shallow bowls and top with 5 of the pan-sauteed shrimp.  Garnish with the basil sprigs.


Shrimp

Prep the shrimp by peeling them and deveining them.  Then coat them in olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Put them on skewers and put them on the grill and rotate them every 2 minutes so they have been cooked on each side twice (total of 8 minutes).