Fra Diavolo — "Brother Devil" — is one of those dishes that earns its name. We build ours on a spicy San Marzano arrabbiata spiked with Calabrian chilis, which brings a fruity, slow-building heat that's completely different from just throwing red pepper flakes in a jar sauce. The shrimp are Gulf 16/20s — big enough to hold up against the sauce, seared hard so they stay sweet inside. House fettuccine, made fresh daily from 00 flour and egg yolks, soaks up every drop. It's one of those plates that looks simple and tastes like you've been in the kitchen all day.
This is our house version — built around a proper Calabrian arrabbiata and Gulf shrimp. You can use dried fettuccine at home and it's still excellent. The key is getting good heat on the shrimp and not overcooking them. Two minutes a side, get them out, finish in the sauce.
Ingredients
1 lb Gulf shrimp, 16/20 count, peeled and deveined
12 oz fettuccine (fresh or dried)
1 28oz can San Marzano whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
2 tbsp Calabrian chili paste (or 1 tsp red pepper flakes)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
1 handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
1
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Salt it like the sea — this is your only chance to season the pasta itself.
2
Pat shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Season with kosher salt. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat until shimmering. Sear shrimp 90 seconds per side until pink and curled. Remove to a plate — they will finish in the sauce.
3
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil and sliced garlic to the same pan. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add Calabrian chili paste and stir 20 seconds.
4
Add crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Stir to combine, scraping up any fond from the shrimp. Simmer 10 minutes until sauce tightens slightly. Season with salt.
5
Meanwhile cook fettuccine according to package directions. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
6
Add drained pasta to the sauce. Toss vigorously, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats every strand. Nestle shrimp back in and toss once more. Serve immediately topped with parsley.
