Zesty lemon pasta with roasted shrimp

Nothing tastes better than Shrimp with that squeeze of lemon juice. This recipe takes that flavor to a whole new level!

It’s simple, yet an elegant dish to serve your company. I find that this great dish when served anytime of the year. The pasta is comforting, yet the shrimp and lemon make for a light meal as well. Here is your shopping list:

1. 2 lbs. large – Xtra large shrimp (peeled and deveined)

2. 2 lemons (zested and juiced)

3. 1 stick of butter

4. 1 lb. of dried angel hair pasta

5. Garlic infused olive oil

6. ¼ cup of good olive oil

7. Red Pepper Flakes

8. Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take the shrimp and toss in 2 tbsp of garlic infused olive oil (or good olive oil and add ¼ tsp garlic powder). Take ¼ tsp of salt and pepper. Toss altogether and then spread the shrimp on a baking sheet. Place it in the oven and roast for 6-8 minutes until the shrimp is pink and cooked through.

While the shrimp is roasting, in a large pot of salted boiling water, add 1 tbsp of olive oil (this is one of the few times that you will cook pasta in water with oil. The angel hair pasta is very thin and the oil will keep it from sticking together while cooking).

Cook the pasta for about three minutes or until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water. Drain pasta. Add 1 stick of butter to the hot pot to melt along with ¼ cup of good olive oil and red pepper flakes (if you are a garlic lover, you may want to use a ¼ cup of the garlic infused olive oil or a light sprinkle of garlic powder. Caution, however, the angel hair pasta holds a lot of flavor and it will have a strong garlic flavor).

Add the pasta and lightly mix. Add the juice of 2 lemons and lemon zest. Add 1 cup of the pasta water (you can add more should you feel it is not creamy enough). Continue to toss until evenly coated. Add the roasted shrimp and sprinkle with any remaining lemon zest.

Fun Fact: Did you know that fish has been served with a slice of lemon since the middle- ages? The reason was because people believed that the lemon juice would dissolve fish bones if accidentally swallowed.

But any squeezed citrus on fish helps to neutralize the fishiness which then improves the taste of the fish. I find it best when the citrus is squeezed onto the platter and then setting the fish on top.