Shrimp Tagliatelle with Roasted Garlic, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Sweet Vermouth Cream Sauce

Move over fettuccine alfredo, there’s a new pasta love in my life. He’s prettier. More refined. And won’t instantaneously put five pounds on my hips post meal time.

Shrimp Tagliatelle with Roasted Garlic, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Sweet Vermouth Sauce

Ahhh just typing the name alone sends a wave of memory-induced hunger pains through my body. I can’t.stop.thinking about it.

This is the second time I’ve made this exact variation of pasta in the last month, I wasn’t even going to post it here, because I wasn’t convinced it would actually be something share-worthy, but by gosh it HAS TO BE SHARED. I literally ate it for a week straight since I have an innate compulsion to make enough food for a family of eight when there are only two of us, leaving us with infinite leftovers after each meal. Except in this case, there were four of us, but still.

By the looks of it, it may appear that this is just any ordinary pasta with shrimp, but what you can’t see from the pictures are the two ingredients that make this pasta seriously lust-worthy.

Sweet vermouth and the BEST egg pasta.

First, let’s talk about the pasta. One may assume that all dried pastas are created equal; if this is your assumption, you’d be dead wrong. Most dried pastas when cooked, taste like dried pasta, but this particular brand I got from a local specialty food store actually mimics the texture of fresh pasta when cooked. It’s on the pricey side at about $9 for eight ounces, but as of late, I’ve been trying to cut back on my carb intake, so I have no problem shelling out the cash for something a little more high-quality when I don’t have the time to make the pasta strands from scratch.

Sweet vermouth. I’ve officially decided that sweet vermouth should be an ingredient in everything I make from now on. White wine has been replaced by sweet vermouth. Chicken stock has been replaced by sweet vermouth. Sherry has been replaced by sweet vermouth. EVERYTHING has been replaced by vermouth.

Unlike most uses of sweet vermouth that call for only a conservative pour, here it’s used rather liberally (almost a cup) since I really wanted it to be the focus, and not just an undistinguishable mystery flavor Normally, I would say you could replace the liquor for chicken stock if you don’t have it on hand or don’t drink, but in this particular recipe, the swap out would give you a completely different flavor. Granted, it will still be delicious (hello roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, butter and cream), but it won’t have that luxurious, underlying sweet taste the vermouth permeates throughout the pasta, so a trip to the liquor store is totally warranted. Plus you could also get the ingredients for a Manhattan while you’re at it – the classic cocktail made with sweet vermouth – that alone, is worth a trip to the liquor store.

The remaining components may not be as assertive as sweet vermouth, but they are equally noteworthy. Sautéed shrimp, homemade roasted garlic and sun-dried tomatoes are all part of the ensemble that makes this pasta so incredibly addictive. Spinach adds a bright green color, and added nutritious effort, while red pepper flakes add just a hint of spice that’s not at all overwhelming.

If you’re just a family of two like Kev and I, may I suggest you stick with the full recipe, because you’ll be sorry if there aren’t any leftovers…