Calabrian Shrimp & Fresh Fettuccine

Remove the pasta from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature, then carefully separate the strands. Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Peel the shallot; thinly slice. Halve the tomatoes. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems. Separate the prosciutto (removing the plastic linings). Roughly chop the pistachios. Pick the mint leaves off the stems. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. 

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the snow peas; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Transfer to a bowl. Add the sliced shallot, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges; stir to combine, separating the shallot layers. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Wipe out the pan. 

Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels (remove the tails, if desired). Season with salt and pepper. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned shrimp. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly opaque. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until opaque and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate. 

Add the prepared pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until al dente. Turn off the heat. Reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

In the pan of reserved fond, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the halved tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomato paste and as much of the chile paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as it may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. 

To the pot of cooked pasta, add the sauce, cooked shrimp, butter, and half the reserved cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated (if necessary, gradually add the remaining cooking water to ensure the pasta is coated). Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer the seasoned ricotta to a serving dish; spread into an even layer. Top with the marinated snow peas and prosciutto (tearing into pieces before adding). Garnish with the chopped pistachios and mint leaves (tearing just before adding). Serve the finished pasta garnished with the chopped parsley. Serve the prosciutto and snow pea salad on the side. Enjoy!