the shrimp version
Ingredients
400g fettuccine or penne pasta
45g shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1 garlic clove
80 ml white wine or light sherry
250-300 ml cream
100g parmesan cheese
Salt & fresh pepper to taste
Italian Parsley or basil for garnish if desired
Instructions
Cook ¾ lb fettuccini in salted water according to instructions and drain. (fresh is best) Also don't rinse (this helps the sauce stick to the noodles better).
Lightly season shrimp with salt, pepper and paprika.
Preheat a large frying pan to med/high and add 1 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1-2 min per side or just until fully cooked and no longer translucent. They should be golden/pink on the outside and opaque white on the inside. Don't over-do it or they will be rubbery. Remove shrimp to a separate bowl.
In same pan, over medium/high heat, add 2 Tbsp butter and onion and sauté onion till golden. Stir in garlic and sauté another minute.
Stir in the wine or sherry and reduce to 25% scraping the bottom to deglaze the pan. Then stir in Cream and simmer for 2 min.
Next, sprinkle the top with 2/3rds of the cheese and stir until creamy and smooth. Add about ¼ tsp paprika and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Turn off heat and stir back in the cooked shrimp and drained (un-rinsed pasta). Garnish with parsley, basil,the extra parmesan and freshly cracked pepper if desired.