Gamberi in Padella - Nora’s Pan-fried Shrimp with Cherry Tomatoes

Nora taught chemistry at the local high school, where her students learned to use precise formulas and weights. But when I asked her how she made the braised shrimp, “gamberi in padella,” that we ate for lunch one afternoon she said, “I don't have a written recipe. Each time I make it, the dish is a little different,” reaffirming what every Italian cook knows; cooking is not a science, but an art.

Ingredients for six:

 800 gr large shrimp shelled and deveined. Leave the heads attached.

250 gr cherry tomatoes, halved

0.5 Extra virgin olive oil

Parsley, chopped

Basil leaves

3-4 cloves of garlic

1 dl white wine

Preparation:

Wash, shell, and devein the shrimp, leaving the heads attached.

Sear the shrimp for approx. two minutes in a thick-bottomed pan in the olive oil together with the garlic. Do not overcook them. Remove the shrimp and set them aside.

Deglaze the pan with the wine, add the cherry tomatoes and herbs, and cook over high heat until the tomatoes soften.

Remove the garlic cloves, stir in the shrimp, and cook for one minute.

Serve.