Grilled Shrimp Pasta with Tomatoes, Black Olives, and Feta
Gina: If you’ve never spent a summer in the South, then you don’t know heat like we know heat! Baby, this dish is perfect for a sultry Memphis evening, because it requires very little cooking. The shrimp and zucchini are grilled briefly, and the rest of the ingredients are simply heated in olive oil for a few minutes, to coax out their flavor. Then everything is tossed with pasta shells, and you are done, sugar. We call for cherry tomatoes, but feel free to use Sweet 100, currant, or pear tomatoes, or any other small tomatoes available at your local farmers’ market. Best of all, you’ll walk away from the table feeling satisfied but not too full. Choose a nice Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, and you are set.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until just warmed through (the tomatoes will begin to soften and release their juice). Remove from the heat, and set aside to marinate.
Step 2
Heat the grill to medium-high. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Step 3
Thread the shrimp onto skewers, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush the zucchini slices with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill the shrimp until just opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Grill the zucchini for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until they are just tender and nice grill marks appear. Remove the shrimp from the skewers, and coarsely chop. Cut the zucchini into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss the shrimp and zucchini in a medium bowl, and set aside.
Step 4
Cook the pasta until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain but do not rinse. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl, pour in the tomato mixture, and toss well to combine. Add the shrimp and zucchini and toss; add the scallions, olives, lemon zest, mint (or parsley), and half of the feta, and toss well to combine. Taste for seasonings, and add more salt or pepper as desired. Transfer to a large serving bowl, and top with the remaining feta.
