1 pound fresh shrimp (10 big shrimp or 20 small shrimp) without shells, deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
dried basil
crushed red pepper flakes
paprika
8 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup half and half, (or1/2 cup fresh full cream milk +1/2 cup cream)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
cooked pasta water
8 oz. fettuccine pasta (I used the spinach fettucine pasta)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat a pan, and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add garlic and shrimp, cook on one side for about 1 minute until pink on one side, on medium-high heat. Turn over shrimp and season shrimp with dry basil, paprika, and salt, cook for another 1-2 minutes. Keep stirring, until shrimp is pink on both sides. Remove and set aside shrimp.
Using same pan add sliced mushrooms. Add more olive oil if necessary. Cook on high heat for about 2 minutes, occasionally stirring, until mushrooms become soft and release juices. Salt midway through cooking.
Add cooked shrimp in pan with mushrooms. Pour 1 cup half and half (or1/2 cup fresh full cream milk +1/2 cup cream) and all of the cheese – bring to boil, then reduce to simmer, and cook, constantly stirring, until all cheese melts. Cover with lid and remove from heat.
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some of pasta water. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. Add pasta to the skillet with shrimp and mushrooms and cream sauce. Stir well, season with more salt and add more crushed red pepper flakes and basil, if desired.
Serve hot and enjoy your Carbonara Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta!
