(Adapted from The New Best Recipe.)
1 pound of large shrimp, 31-40/pound, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (sometimes I add a little more)
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup cognac or brandy
8 medium garlic gloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 cup medium-dry white wine or vermouth
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 pound linguine or spaghetti
salt
Start water boiling for the linguine or spaghetti so it will be ready when you need it.
Heat a 12-inch skillet over a high heat until very hot. We generally use a heavy conventional (not non-stick) skillet, but whatever you have is fine. While it’s heating, toss the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes, two tablespoons of the oil, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Pour the shrimp into the skillet and quickly spread them into a single layer. Cook them without moving for 45 seconds or so, until the bottoms turn spotty brown. Then cut the heat, stir up the shrimp, and add the cognac or brandy. Put the skillet back on a high heat, wait a couple seconds, and then wave a lit match over the pan – very carefully – to ignite the liquor. This is the moment of intense culinary excitement, and it usually causes our fire alarm to go off, but the shrimp come out perfect every time. Shake the skillet until the flames die off, and then transfer the shrimp into a bowl.
Cool the skillet off the heat for two minutes or so, then return it to the burner and put the heat on low. Add 3 tablespoons of oil and the garlic. Cook and stir constantly until the garlic is a little bit foamy and straw-colored, about 7-10 minutes. Then add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt, the sugar, the tomatoes, and the wine or vermouth. Simmer over a medium high heat until it has thickened to the desired consistency, usually around ten minutes.
Add the linguine to the boiling water. If you do this right after the sauce starts simmering, the sauce will finish simmering around the time the pasta is done. When the linguine is done to your taste, drain it, reserving a small amount of the water. Return the pasta to the pot and add 1/2 cup of the sauce and a few tablespoons of the reserved water, and toss to coat.
Stir the shrimp and any juices that have accumulated in the bowl into the sauce, along with the parsley. Cook for about one minute, just to heat up the shrimp. If desired, add another small drizzle of olive oil off the heat to freshen up the taste, and serve the sauce and shrimp over the pasta. Delicious!
This recipe is one of our absolute favorites, and it’s relatively quick too, perfect for weeknight cooking. We usually keep a couple one-pound bags of shrimp in the freezer expressly for the purpose of making fra diavolo, and it’s delicious every time. As an added bonus, you get to set the shrimp on fire. What more could you want in a recipe?