SPICY LOBSTER PASTA
This pasta will take you back to italy
4 servings, 40 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 pack of Food52 Spaghetti (use blistered10 code for 10% off at checkout!)
3 lobster tails
3 garlic cloves
3 cups cherry tomatoes
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/3 cup sherry
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 handful fresh basil leaves
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
The Blistered Peppers Take:
Take dining-in to another level, with pasta. Yes you read that right - PASTA. I know, I know. I’ve said that I don’t normally eat pasta at home, but hey it’s a special occasion. Food52 has officially launched their pasta line! Seriously though - want to spruce up date night or have a reason to celebrate? Make this dish! It’ll bring you right back to your Italian summer.
In this dish, you’re really just elevating the pasta and the lobster with simple and fresh flavors… as the Italians do. And the best part is, it’s quick and easy. Most people tend to get nervous about cooking shellfish. It’s hard, confusing, and takes too long. But all of that really isn’t true. Of most proteins, shellfish actually cooks up quite quickly and easily. Cutting the tomatoes will take longer! Just do yourself a favor and research the best place in your neighborhood to get seafood. You can grab frozen lobster tails if you’re in a pinch, but again the lobster is the star and you want to make sure it’s at its freshest. And the best part of the lobster tail is all the prep work is done for you :).
Now let’s talk about the sauce. Another dish that tends to get a bad wrap because it’s normally a time intensive project. This sauce is essentially sauteed cherry tomatoes. I learned from a cooking class at Villa San Michele that you can put the tomatoes cut side down and the juicy-ness will turn into a beautiful simple sauce. Once the garlic is just transparent and you add the tomatoes, paste, pepper flakes, and sherry - wow, the smell alone will be OTHER level - Andrew even came out of his office to tell me how good it smelled in the kitchen. When you mix the pasta in with the sauce (and the lobster of course) it all comes together.
Give it a shot! Tag me in your pics and let me know what you think about Food52’s new pasta line.
Oh and you can also get 10% off from any Food52 order with the code: blistered10
Steps:
In a large pot, fill about halfway with water and bring to a roaring boil.
Slice garlic cloves as thin as possible. Cut cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise.
In a large and deep pan, on low heat, cover the pan in olive oil. Add the garlic slices and red pepper flake. Saute until fragrant - keep a close eye that the garlic doesn’t brown - for about 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste and mix well. Increase the flame/heat to medium low, then add the cherry tomatoes and try to keep the cut side down, leave them to saute for about 7 minutes so the liquids really come out and start to create a sauce. You can add more olive oil if needed. Once the tomatoes have softened and the pan is juicy, add the sherry, salt, and pepper and stir into the tomato sauce. Simmer for another 15 minutes until tomatoes are soft and sauce has combined - if the sauce is drying out, add more sherry or olive oil.
Add the Food52 spaghetti to the boiling water and cook for about 5-7 minutes for al dente.
Meanwhile, add the lobster pieces into the tomato sauce and cook for about 4 minutes.
Strain the pasta - reserving about ½ cup of pasta water - add spaghetti to the lobster and tomato sauce, add ¼ cup pasta water and stir to combine. Option to add torn basil and/or lemon zest.
Plate pasta and cover with more sauce, basil, and zest. Enjoy!
