Orecchiette with Shrimp, Greens & Beans

In A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche Dubois said, “Don’t you just love those long rainy afternoons in New Orleans, when an hour isn’t just an hour, but a little piece of eternity dropped into your hands and who knows what to do with it?” Well, we know just what to do with it: Make this dish. Feel free to substitute your favorite pasta for the orecchiette and use whatever kinds of greens you like best (spinach, rapini, kale, broccoli, escarole, or chard). You can also swap out the shrimp for sausage, bacon or scallops. Experiment with different kinds of Blue Runner beans. Recipe adapted from @primal_gourmet.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with 2 tbsp salt and add the broccolini. Cook for 3 minutes or until the stems are slightly tender.

Reserve your cooking water and transfer the broccolini to a bowl filled with ice water. When cool, drain and cut into 1” pieces. Set aside.

Add your pasta to the reserved cooking water and cook for about 10 minutes (until al dente),

While the pasta’s cooking, add the olive oil and garlic to a cold sauté pan. Set over medium heat and cook the garlic gently until golden. Add the chili flakes & cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir for about 3 minutes, until the shrimp are slightly pink. Add the drained broccolini and beans. Toss to combine.

Add your cooked pasta and ½ cup of the pasta water. Cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to serving bowls and top with cheese before serving.