With lockdown, there’s more cooking than ever in homes all over Italy; after all, cooking is an ideal way to ward off a CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack).
These days, Pino’s often at the burners, too.
He made one of my favorite dishes the other day: pasta ai gamberi. Easy, quick, buonissima.
He started by defrosting a packet of small, peeled shrimp. Pino then diced a couple of small onions….


…and peeled and sliced two garlic cloves:

After putting the diced onion and sliced garlic cloves in a deep frying pan,….

…Pino added our olive oil, q. b. (“quanto basta” or “as much as you need”)….and

….then simmered both a few minutes. I wish I could transmit here the profumo of the simmering garlic and onions:

Pino then added the shrimp (not quite defrosted – ma non importa):

(At this point, he would have added a glass of white wine but none in our house at this moment of lockdown – will be included in our next shop).
He sprinkled herbs on the shrimp, both thyme and marjoram:

As the shrimp simmered a few minutes, Pino put the pasta water on to boil and opened a small can of polpa di pomodoro (“tomato pulp”):

He spooned in the tomato pulp, a bit at a time, slowly mixing …and then…


…..let the mixture simmer for about ten minutes.
He then added spaghetti to the boiling water.

When al dente (“to the tooth”), Pino joined the spaghetti to the shrimp sauce, …..


…..stirring gently:

I’d hope we could serve this pasta ai gamberi in one of our colorful maiolica bowls from Deruta. (Better photos).
No chance.
“Questa servo come si faceva una volta” (“I’m serving this as it used to be served”):




Mamma mia, nothing like Pino’s pasta ai gamberi to brighten your day during this coronavirus lockdown.
Mille grazie, Pino.
Click here for a recipe of Pino’s mamma, Signora Vincenza (also helps ward off CPA)
Read about – and see! – Assisi during coronavirus lockdown
Click here for another “coronavirus lockdown” recipe
Click hereto read about Novella’s vegetable stand during the coronavirus lockdown
Read hereabout an outdoor market visit to ward off a CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack)
Click here to read about – and see! – a favorite Orvieto eating spot (to ward off CPA)
Read about a Pino feast on March 8th as coronavirus distraction
Click here to read about March 8th – as a coronavirus antidote
Peppa is always perfect distraction from a CPA
Read about a stop for fresh pasta to ward off a CPA


Anne,
Now you and Pino have made me hungry !! I’m so happy to hear and see you are both well. We canceled our trip to Monterey to see our new great grand child…just couldn’t take the chance. Stay well and keep on cooking.
xoxo
Linda and Ken
Wow to have a cook like that locked down with me would be magnifico!! Makes my mouth water just reading and looking at the photos. Bon appetit!