Shrimp Gambino

Simple shrimp supper has a luxurious flavor

The first time I made this dish, my husband delighted in its briny goodness. "This tastes like something a mobster would eat," he said, meaning that it's rich and satisfying and seems luxurious. So we call it "Shrimp Gambino." This shrimp-feta pairing is traditional in Greece, from where many good things come.

Frozen peeled tail-on shrimp would be fine for this dish -- choose 21-30 count, but thaw them under cold running water first. The recipe doubles easily.

Menu
Shrimp Gambino
Salad of mixed field greens.

Mixed melon chunks drizzled with mint syrup.

Tips
- omestic fetas can be very good, but for this dish, I prefer French or Bulgarian fetas, which are a little creamier and a little less salty.

- For the dessert, use a commercial syrup such as Torani, or make your own mint syrup by cooking 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water until the sugar dissolves, then steeping a handful of fresh mint in the syrup until it cools to room temperature.

Beverage pairing

Try Greek wines with this dish, such as a moschofilero, a bright, crisp white, or agiorghitiko, a red grape that is made into many styles; ask for a lighter style or even a rose.

Shrimp Gambino

Yield: 2 servings.

6 ounces dried spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound raw, tail-on, peeled shrimp
14 1/2-ounce can peeled diced tomatoes, drained
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Cook pasta in Dutch oven according to package directions until al dente, 10 minutes; drain.

2. Heat olive oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 1 minute. Add shrimp; cook, stirring, until shrimp begin to turn pink, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, stirring to blend; cook 2 minutes.

3. Toss shrimp-tomato mixture with pasta. Place in buttered 2-quart casserole; sprinkle feta on top. Bake until sauce is bubbly and feta is slightly melted, 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Nutrition information per serving
Calories 657 Fat 17 g (6 sat.) Carbohydrate 72 g
Cholesterol 84 mg Sodium ,016 mg Protein 50 g

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