Lemon Cavatapi with baby spinach and garlic shrimp in creamy cheese and butter sauce

By Chef Lippe

Serves 4
Ingredients: 
2 10 ounce packages of fresh lemon cavatapi

3 1/2 cups Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (8 ounces)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick) cut into tablespoon-size pieces

2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

2 pounds of raw cleaned shrimp

4 cloves of garlic minced

2 cups of fresh baby spinach

½ cup butter

Preparation:

Shrimp

Melt ½ cup of butter in frying pan. Add chopped/minced garlic and fry until light browned. Stir in shrimp and cook until shrimp are done.   While shrimp are cooking:

Pasta and sauce
1 – Bring a large pot (at least 12 quarts) of salted water to a boil.
2 – Add fresh pasta and cook al dente.
3- Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water.
4 – Return pasta and cooking water to the pot and place over low heat.
5 – Add remaining ingredients and stir until cheese and butter have melted and formed a creamy sauce, about 5 minutes.

Just before adding shrimp to pasta stir in baby spinach and cook until just wilted. Add spinach and shrimp to cooked pasta and cream sauce.  Season with salt, and serve with additional cheese if desired.