Amuse Bouche Mafaldine with Lemony Shrimp, Spring Onions, Olives & Herby Potato Chips

An original recipe created for Amuse-Bouche by Gail Simmons and Melissa Clark.

Serves 6

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound dried Mafaldine or other pasta

3 tablespoons olive oil

5 garlic cloves, smashed, peels removed

2 large spring onions, green parts trimmed, bulbs thinly sliced or 1 bunch scallions

1 teaspoon red chile flakes (more or less to taste)

1 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and torn

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

4 tablespoons (1⁄4 cup) unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup mixed fresh herbs (such as parsley, dill, basil, or chives), chopped, plus more for garnish

1 cup crushed plain potato chips, for garnish

Directions:

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the mafaldine until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1⁄2 cup of the pasta water before draining.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and let it sizzle for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and light brown in color. Add the sliced onion and spring onion, chile flakes, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for 3–7 minutes until the onions are soft and golden at the edges.

Stir in the torn Castelvetrano olives and cook for another 2–3 minutes, just to warm them through and infuse the oil.

Push the onions and olives to the side of the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until pink and opaque. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons butter to the pan. Allow the butter to melt, folding everything together until the shrimp are coated and glossy.

On low heat, add the drained pasta to the pan along with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything well to coat the pasta in the sauce. Add the remaining butter and more water as needed to emulsify.

Off the heat, stir in the chopped herbs and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large serving platter or divide among bowls. Top with additional herbs and a generous handful of crushed potato chips just before serving.