Fettuccine with Shrimp

Best Choice

16 oz. fettuccine

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ med. white onion, chopped      

1 clove garlic, crushed

12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

8 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 small chili pepper, seeded; chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

[1/4 cup shredded Parmesan, optional]

The illusion of flavor.

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add onion and garlic and saute until tender. Add the shrimp, parsley, basil and chili pepper. Cook until shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes. Add the drained pasta to the pan; season with salt and pepper. Toss over moderate heat for 1 minute. Serve immediately. Optional: Sprinkle with ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese.

I opted to leave the Parm off of my initial serving. This was a mistake.

My Rating: 2/5 "This is mostly noodles, and there's not enough olive oil to coat them all so they're kind of dry. There's a few shrimp in there, and those are nice when you find them. But the veggies that are supposed to add flavor are such a small component of the overall dish that they didn't do anything. Swing and a miss."