Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (450 g) Linguine pasta (or fettuccine)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Coarse sea salt (for boiling water)
  • 1.5 pounds (680 g) Large shrimp (peeled, deveined, 21/25 count)
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Kosher salt (divided)
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) Black pepper (divided)
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Olive oil (divided, plus oil from sun-dried tomatoes)
  • 4 tablespoons (60 g) Unsalted butter
  • 4 cloves (approx. 20 g) Garlic, minced finely
  • ½ cup (120 ml) Dry white wine (e.g., Pinot Grigio) OR chicken stock
  • ½ cup (100 g) Sun-Dried Tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and roughly chopped
  • 1.5 cups (360 ml) Heavy cream (or double cream)
  • 1 cup (80 g) Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
  • 4 cups (100 g) Fresh spinach, loosely packed (baby spinach preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) Red pepper flakes (optional, for a kick)
  • ¼ cup (10 g) Fresh basil, chopped (for garnish/flavour)

Instructions:

  1. Mise en Place: Chop garlic, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. Pat the shrimp dry thoroughly and season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.
  2. Boil Water: Bring the stockpot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook according to package directions, typically 8-10 minutes, until al dente.
  3. Reserve: Before draining, reserve about 1 cup (240 ml) of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta immediately.
  4. Sauté the Shrimp: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in the large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the reserved sun-dried tomato oil if using. Add the seasoned shrimp and sauté for 1-2 minutes per side until just pink and opaque. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a clean bowl immediately and set aside.
  5. Build Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Add the minced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for about 60 seconds until fragrant.
  6. Deglaze: Pour in the white wine (or stock). Let it bubble and reduce by about half, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
  7. Create the Cream Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and remaining salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
  8. Add Cheese and Spinach: Remove the pan from direct heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until smooth and fully melted. Add the fresh spinach and stir constantly until the spinach has fully wilted into the sauce, about 1-2 minutes.
  9. Combine and Finish: Add the drained linguine and the reserved shrimp back into the skillet. Toss everything thoroughly to coat the pasta. If the sauce is too thick, gradually stir in a few spoonfuls of the reserved pasta water until you achieve a silky consistency.
  10. Serve: Garnish generously with fresh chopped basil and extra Parmesan. Serve immediately.