Everybody Cooks!: pasta

Showing posts with label pasta. Show all posts

Pesto Sauce

Pesto sauce is a very easy dressing to make, and will be whipped up in about 5 minutes.

The following ingredients are for 2 to 4 portions, so feel free to adjust your quantities if you are cooking for more or fewer people, or according to your taste.

You will need:

1 1/4 tablespoons of basil (fresh basil is better, but dry basil works too)
2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil (If you like your pesto a bit thinner, add another tablespoon of olive oil)

Preparation time: 5 minutes

In a bowl, mix the basil and the parmesan cheese.

Then add the olive oil and give it a good mix.

And voilà, you just made your own pesto sauce! Wasn't that easy!?

You can keep your pesto sauce in the fridge for a few days. But remember to give it a good stir when you take it out of the fridge, before using it.

*Note: You can use your pesto sauce with our Pesto, Cherry Tomato & Chicken Penne Salad recipe.

You can also use it with pasta, chicken, pizzas, or salad dressing.

As with all the other recipes we put on this site, this is meant to be easy to follow. We are hobby chefs who love to cook, and we are always up for learning new techniques. If you know of anything in this recipe which can be done a different way, whether for increased ease of preparation or better taste, please add a comment below!

Whipped up by Charline Leblond

Pesto, Cherry Tomato & Chicken Penne Salad

With summer just around the corner, let's make this Pesto, Cherry Tomato & Chicken Penne Salad that will accompany your barbecue quite nicely.

It is a very easy recipe to make, and will be whipped up in less than 30 minutes. Just remember that the penne have to rest in the fridge for 45 minutes.

The following ingredients are for 2 to 4 portions, so feel free to adjust your quantities if you are cooking for more or less people, or according to your taste.

You will need:

125 grams of mini-penne pasta*
210 grams of chicken breast tenders, or chicken breast wholes.
15 to 20 cherry tomatoes
1 1/4 tablespoons of basil (fresh basil is better, but dry basil works too)
2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 7 to 8 minutes

Resting time: At least 45 minutes in the fridge

Start by cooking your pasta per the package's instructions (in my case, it was 7 to 8 minutes for al-dente pasta).

In a pan, pour a bit of olive oil, heat up your pan, and place the chicken breast tenders to cook.

Once one side is cooked, turn the breast to cook the other side.

Turn one more time until you get a nice brown coating.

Let the pieces cool down few minutes, and then cut them into pieces.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half ...

... and if it bothers you like it bothers me, remove the core of the tomatoes.

Prepare your pesto.
In a bowl, mix the basil and the parmesan cheese.

Then add the olive oil and give it a good mix.

By that time, the mini-penne should be cooked.
Strain the pasta into a strainer, and then pour some cold water on it to cool it down.

All your ingredients are now ready to be stored in the fridge, giving at least 45 minutes for your mine-penne to cool down.

It is now time to assemble your salad ...

... which will be only four simple steps.

First, pour your mini-penne in the salad bowl.

Second, add the cherry tomatoes.

Third, add your chicken pieces.

And finally, after giving your pesto a good stir, add it the the salad, and mix. (If you like your pesto a bit thinner, add another tablespoon of olive oil).

And voilà, your Pesto, Cherry Tomato & Chicken Penne Salad is ready.

Now it is time to fire up that barbecue, and enjoy!

*Note: I used mini-penne, because I think it is more pleasant to eat the mini version of the penne with this salad, but feel free to use some other pasta such as elbow macaroni, penne, or bow-tie.

Bangalore - INDIA

You can find a lot of street food in Bangalore and in India, to which we would advise you to be careful, because of lack hygiene and the water used to cook.

Obviously being in India, and in Bangalore, you will have access to lots of South-Indian food, but there are also some western type restaurants you could give a try while in Bangalore.

These reviews are based on the time we visited these restaurants in October and November 2012.

KC Das

KC Das has stores spread all over Bangalore, and there you can find a type of yoghurt called Mishti Doi, a sweet yoghurt kept in a clay pot (you can also buy it in the plastic container, which, to be honest, conserves better than the clay pot).

They sell it in a 500 gram or a 1 kilogram pot.

This is a delicious yoghurt and a nice change from the curd yoghurt that Indians have a the end of the meal.

Toscano

They have currently three locations in Bangalore, we tried two of them; the one at the Forum Value Mall in Whitefield and the one at the very posh UB City Mall.

The one we prefer is the one located at the Forum Value Mall in Whitefield.

The food is excellent. However the desserts are not good: The ones which could be great, are overdone, which makes them too creamy or too rich, simply disappointing, and the rest of the desserts we tried are tasteless.

Here are the dishes we tried and what we have to say about them:

Parma Ham and Melon (24-months proscuitto served with melon sorbet, marinated olives, mixed greens, and fresh mozzarella): The parma ham was delicious, the mozzarella was authentic, and the melon sorbet was a nice touch. The melon, as a fruit, was not sweet, which was a shame, because this appetizer could have been perfect.
Crumb fried fresh mozzarella & basil with raisin-based crumbs accompanied by pesto grilled vegetables served with red pepper coulis and reduced balsamico: These mozzarella sticks were delicious, the mozzarella and the breadcrumb were fried perfectly, and the pesto-grilled vegetables were a nice touch. The red pepper coulis was a bit bland (I think a marinara sauce would have been better).
Polenta fritta con pollo all gorgonzola (deep fried chicken and polenta cakes served with fresh tomato salsa and gorgonzola cheese): It was good. The chicken and polenta cakes were nicely balanced and the gorgonzola sauce, even though it was served in a tiny quantity, was a nice addition.
Isalata Ortolana (Young mixed lettuce, buffalo boncoccini, olives, grilled artichokes and sun-blushed cherry tomatoes dressed with balsamic mustard dressing & virgin olive oil): The combination of all the salad ingredients was good, but the virgin olive oil was in excess and so overpowered the balsamic mustard dressing.
Wined poached pear stuffed with feta and pancetta, served with fresh rucola and cherry tomato salad tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, parmesan shavings, capers, and toasted walnuts: we were very excited about this starter/appetizer, but we ended up quite disappointed: The pear wasn't cooked enough, so it was hard. It was only one half of a pear, so the feta and pancetta stuffing was quite small. Regarding the wine poached part, it was barely perceivable.
Crispy bacon wrapped roasted filet mignon served with porcini risotto and red wine jus: The filet mignon was cooked perfectly as we ordered (we both ordered this dish on two different occasions), and the porcini risotti was a delight, a small but fulfilling enough serving to be able to appreciate the whole dish.
Fettuccine e Salsiccia Piccante (Pasta with spicy pork sausage, bacon and mushrooms in pomodor basil sauce): A relatively simple tomato-sauce based pasta, Toscano managed to excel in the blend of flavours and spices. The sausage was spicy delight, especially in a country where sausage is hard to find, and the textures worked beautifully to keep each bite interesting.
Linguine Aglio e Olio fruiti di marie (with pan fried sea prawns, vongole, mussels, and green peas in wine and lemon flavored olive oil sauce topped with a chunk of grilled basa): The dish was nicely balanced and the seafood and fish were cooked perfectly.
Lemon grilled basa with fresh salad, potato, steamed vegetables and olive citronate dressing: The fish was cook perfectly, but the dressing was a bit too oily.
Grilled pepper steak with garlic mash, caramelized onions, and grilled vegetables: This is a thin piece of beef, grilled and served folded (that makes it look thicker). The steak is specifically very average. It is so thin, that even medium rare is very difficult to do. However, it was still juicy and quite tasty, but just wasn't able to satisfy a steak-craving. If you're craving a steak, get the filet mignon. The garlic mash tastes almost like it came out of a box (I'm sure it didn't, but my taste buds think otherwise), the garlic almost seemed like it was there to mask the dehydrated-potato flavour. The roasted vegetables on the side we good, but not enough to compensate for the rest of the plate.
Papardalle Al Ragu Di Anatra Con Funghi (with Duck Confit and Mushroom in Flavoured Cream Sauce): The sauce came off as being quite oily, which was especially odd considering the little duck in the dish, and the excessive mushrooms in comparison. The pasta itself is rather large, which is a problem because the sheets tend to stick together, thereby causing me to eat a large chunk of pasta. This made the dish quite disappointing; which is a real tragedy because the combination of ingredients could make an excellent pasta dish, perhaps with different pasta and a better cooking of the sauce.
Special of the day: Tortellinis stuffed with shrimp and smoked salmon served in a creamy and saffron sauce: the dish was good, and the sauce accompanied nicely the dish, however the saffron taste was undetectable.
Mango eggless panacotta: It was delicious, but it's not on the menu anymore.
Toscano's signature tiramisu with crème anglaise and cocoa: It was good, but a bit too creamy, not enough biscuit.
Vanilla crème brûlée served with biscotti and cocoa: It was good, the brûlée was done perfectly with the perfect thickness and crunchiness, but the cream, even though good, was a bit too thick for my taste.
Cappuccino crème brûlée served with biscotti and cocoa: same as the vanilla crème brûlée, the brûlée was done perfectly with the perfect thickness and crunchiness, but the cream, even though good, was a bit too thick for my taste. Compared to the vanilla crème brûlée, the thickness of the cream made the taste of the cappuccino cream quite overwhelming.
Chocolate kahlua® mousse in almond tuile and crème anglaise: the chocolate kahlua® mousse was tasty but quite rich, the presentation was nice and added to the taste as the mousse is served as a swirling cone on the tuile itself. The crème anglaise was very disappointing because it wasn't a crème anglaise at all, but more of a whipped cream, not whipped.
Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting served with vanilla ice cream: It was completely tasteless, and it was also served with some dried cake pieces, which was also tasteless and really dry, and with a apple and cinnamon purée, which didn't have anything to do with the cake. The vanilla ice cream was quite creamy and not good quality. Needless to say, it wasn't good at all.
Warm apple crumble with cinnamon and raisins served with vanilla bean ice cream: The apple crumble was good. However, it wasn't served with vanilla bean ice cream, but with the same cheap and creamy vanilla ice cream than the red velvet cake.

Compared to food prices generally in India, the prices at Toscano are much higher. The wine selection is very expensive. Their kir royal (which was made with sparkling wine, and not Champagne) was 450 rupees a glass, but was good.

Compared to any other restaurants we went to in India, this one is pretty quiet, with relaxed music (instead of loud dance or techno music).

Compared to a lot of other restaurants and hospitality service we tried, the staff was friendly and attentive and they provide a good customer service.

The restaurant at the Forum Value Mall in the Whitefield area also provides a deli service.

Toscano also organizes cooking classes (the one I participated in was the bread making class), however, it is not a real class. It is actually a sit-down, theoretical class which is disappointing, because you can not make anything. You just sit there trying to listen through the brouhaha of chats and questions. It is also a big class of about 30 people, so the experience I had wasn't quite pleasant. I would suggest watching a video on YouTube instead. The only comfort was the fact that snacks and lunch was included with the class.

http://www.toscano.co.in/

Millers 46

The restaurant has been designed with a cowboy ambience.

We tried their:

Millers mixed starters platter (an assortment of their popular starters: Wings, mushrooms caps, tenders, chicken lollipops, and French fries): Everything was good, except the French fries which were soggy and over-greasy. The wings were spicy enough, and the mushrooms caps really good.
Bacon burger: The beef patty was really good, soft, and tender. All burgers come with coleslaw and French fries, which I switched to mashed potatoes, after tasting them with the appetizer's order). The coleslaw is not great.
Twice marinated steak: The steak was perfectly cooked, and even though the sauce was very tasty, it was just a little too much for my liking. You can order a "naked" steak with the sauce on the side, which would have been better.
Apple pie: It wasn't good at all, the apple layer was over-sweet, dense, and thick, and the pie crust was quite dry.

The meat was good and was cooked as we ordered.

The staff was friendly.

http://www.millers46.com/

Reviewed by Charline Leblond & Shyamal Addanki

London - UK

Wahaca

Wahaca is a chain of Mexican restaurants, the specific one we visited in May 2013 is located 66 Chandos Place, a 5 minutes walk north-east of Trafalgar Square.

The food was very good and authentic. We had the pleasure of enjoying:

the Fresh Tomato Salsa and Chips: As expected from any good Mexican restaurant, the salsa was fresh and spicy, with the tomatoes blending expertly with the onions and chilies. For those not used to Mexican levels of spice, this might be a little bit over-the-top, but the authenticity and balance of flavours is still evident. The nacho chips are good, they leave nothing to complain about.
the Pork Pibil Tacos: Pibil is a slow-roasting method of preparing pork originating from the Yucatan Peninsula, where pig is normally roasted for hours in highly acidic sauces and special fruits. This delicious method of cooking creates a melt-in-your-mouth tender pork, and these tacos lived up to our expectations. They are topped with spicy onions that can subdue the pibil and it is worth taking some of them out. Just be careful of the juices as you bite into the taco, they can create a mean stain on your clothes when they drip out and splatter!
the Chicken Tinga Tacos: These are spicier that the other tacos, but for those who love a little fiery bite from their Mexican food, it delivers that kick that hits the spot. However, I expected a little more smokiness when the menu promised a "smoky tomato sauce", and I feel like the spiciness drowned some possibly delicious nuances. Don't get me wrong, they're still delicious and I will order them every time I find myself at Wahaca.
the Grilled British Steak Tacos: These can be had with Chipotle Salsa or with Grilled Cheese and Salsa. We opted for the Chipotle Salsa option, because grilled cheese didn't seem to belong on a taco. While they weren't bad, and in any other company the Grilled British Steak tacos would have held their own, they felt a little flat when compared to the Pork Pibil and Chicken Tinga. They also left the spice buds alone, making this a good choice for those with adverse reactions to chillies.
the Chicken Guajillo Tostadas: If food is poetry, then tasting any single ingredient separately from a dish is like quoting one line of a sonnet, out of context. When the plate of Chicken Guajillo arrived, I happened to get a bit of the sauce on my hand. Naturally, I tasted it and I was very disappointed; it was flat and missing any interesting character. I resigned myself to the fact that I would probably not enjoy this plate. But, taking a proper bite consisting of every layer; chipotle-marinated chicken, salad, avocado, and whatever else was in that wondrous sonnet, I stood corrected. The Chicken Guajillo at Wahaca should be a case study in balancing flavours and textures in the kitchen. If you eat at Wahaca (and why wouldn't you after reading all this), get this tostada. If you, or anyone you know, wants to understand the poetry of cooking, eat this tostada.
the Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas: This is perhaps the one weak link in the menu, but one can blame the British as much as one can blame Wahaca. Lancashire cheese simply does not work in a Quesadilla. Well, it isn't bad per se, but it simply misses the mark; it is like going to bed with a supermodel and finding out that she just wants to lie down and talk about cars. Yes, thats great; but not what we came for. I'd give these a pass, and order more tacos or tostadas instead.
the Churros y Chocolate: Alright, if you still have room for dessert, it is hard to pass up the Churros Y Chocolate. And yes, they are as good as you might imagine. The Churros tasted fresh, warm, and crispy on the outside. The chocolate was okay … but the Churros are definitely the star of the dish.
the Chocolate Tres Leches Cake: Soak chocolate cake in a mixture of three milks; evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk, and you end up with a lovely, moist sponge cake. The beauty of it is that it isn't overly buttery or rich, unlike many other restaurant desserts. I personally didn't care much for the peanut butter ice-cream that was served with it, being a fan of vanilla ice-cream myself. The next time, I might try something else.

The Smokey Chipotle Chilli sauce they put on the table is really good and authentic.

Our waiter was friendly.

Even though the restaurant was crowded, they don't push you to eat fast and get out. We stayed about two hours on a Saturday night.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is so-so.

The very disappointing and annoying thing is the fact that the waiting area/bar is next to the tables, so people waiting keep piling up next your table.

The wait for a table might be long as there is no booking.

http://www.wahaca.co.uk/

We visited the following places in London in Christmas 2011, in May 2012, and in July 2012.

The Punch Tavern

The Punch Tavern is an old pub located at 99 Fleet Street, 5 minutes walk north of Blackfriars Subway Station. This charming pub has an air of splendid history, with its dark oak paneling, marble bar, a massive ornate fireplace and decorative ceiling, and this history is written out just at the entrance. Whilst a pub has been at that site since the 17th century, it was refitted in the 1890s by the "big-spending" Baker Brothers (according to The Punch Tavern's website).

But you won't get any old British dusty airs here, the staff is very friendly and extremely polite, which is always nice to discover in England. The first time we were at the pub, I ordered a bottled beer, accepted it, and took it back to the table before I discovered that it was not the variety I wanted. That was my fault, I had pointed to the bottle and the bartender gave me what I asked for. Well, I went back and explained I had made a mistake, and with no hesitation the opened bottle was taken back and I was offered a choice of something else.

The food lives up to the expectations that the ambiance and friendly disposition suggest. This is an important statement, so I will separate it from paragraphs:

This was the best fish and chips we have had in England.

In fact, this might be the only fish and chips that is worth some status as a "national dish". The fish tastes ... well, fresh. In fact, one can taste the fish, which is already more than I can say for most other pubs' fish and chips. The batter is not too greasy and even tastes like some culinary consideration was put into the mixture. The fish is flaky and the batter is not so thick that you wonder which ingredient ought to come first in the name. The only downside is the portion of fries that accompanies it is not substantial.

One great thing about The Punch Tavern is that their prices are extremely reasonable. Not only that, each day of the week showcases one dish as a special, 5 pounds for the dish and 2 pounds for the dessert of the day. Definitely not a deal to pass up, check on their website for more information and times.

http://www.punchtavern.com/

Bella Italia

Bella Italia is a chain of Italian restaurants, the specific one we have visited is located 70 St. Martin's Lane, a 10 minutes walk north of Trafalgar Square.

We ended up there by luck on Christmas Eve, because it was one of the only restaurants open late that night. Even though it was Christmas Eve and the restaurant was quite crowded, the staff was amazing. They ran around squeezing past each other with full trays of food and drink and maneuvering around the tables and chairs crapped into the small restaurant, but they all had a smile on their face. Despite the busy rush, our waiter took his time to explain the specials to us, and was happy to give us a few more minutes to decide, and came back promptly when we were ready.

The food was absolutely fantastic. This is where we discovered the Pollo e Spinaci, a delicious gorgonzola cream pasta with spinach, mushrooms and chicken. The Agnello Tagliatelle was rich and robust, lamb with red wine ragu served over tagliatelle pasta is just a heavenly treat.

We were so happy with the food and the service that we went back in July 2012 during another visit in London. Once again, we found ourselves roaming around London on a Saturday evening with hunger gnawing at our stomachs, only to find restaurants full and waiting lists as long as the rainy season in England. We decided to try out this Bella Italia. We were slightly worried when we saw the crowd, but were told that we would have to wait 10-15 mins for a table. We were seated in 5 mins and the service and food lived up to every expectation we had of Bella Italia. We strongly recommend this restaurant!

http://www.bellaitalia.co.uk/italian-restaurant/st-martins-lane

Reviewed by Charline Leblond and Shyamal Addanki

Mushroom and Prosciutto Pasta

This is a lovely pasta dish that I discovered while watching some TV show, and it wasn't a cooking program. I don't remember the name or the context, but some guy was waiting for some girl to come home and he was trying to say sorry for a fight or something.

I have no clue. It was just something I came across while flicking channels.

What caught my attention (and I secretly hope it caught her attention too) was the pasta dish that he placed on the well laid table when she entered the door. I immediately put down the remote and tried to make out what was on that plate of penne and penitence, despite the director's inconsideration for the hungry few viewers out there.

From what I could make out, there were mushrooms and what might have been prosciutto, and a creamy sauce. I may not have known what they had been fighting about, I may never know whether they made up or not, but I knew at that moment I needed to eat that pasta dish. Penne, Mushrooms, Prosciutto and cream ...

This is an extremely easy and delicious pasta to make. For two people you will need:

3-4 medium brown mushrooms*
About two strips of prosciutto*
Three tablespoons of Crème Fraîche
One clove of garlic
A tablespoon of butter
Some grated parmesan
Penne or other small pasta

Start by preparing your pasta, the sauce takes far less time than boiling pasta. Set the water to boil, then begin slicing up your mushrooms. Don't make them too thin, or they will just become floppy.

Next, chop up your garlic. If you are using garlic powder, you will need about one teaspoon.

Once your water is boiling, toss your pasta in the pot. It should take 8-10 minutes, which is perfect time to make the sauce and have everything ready at the same moment.

To start the sauce, add your butter to a hot pan.

Add your garlic to the butter and let it roast for a few minutes, then add your mushrooms and toss them around so that they are well coated in butter and garlic. Let them cook for about five minutes, undisturbed.

While the mushrooms are cooking, you can cut your prosciutto. Basically, we want it to be small and easy to bite into without having to cut or tear pieces on the plate. Sometimes I just roll up my prosciutto and go at it with a pair of scissors, but a knife and cutting board works just as well.

Once your mushrooms are tender, we are going to wrap up the sauce very quickly. We don't want the prosciutto to overcook, so just before your pasta is done (taste it and it should be quite firm in the center by soft on the outside, signifying another one to two minutes of cooking), add the prosciutto to the mushrooms and get them nicely mixed around.

Finally, add the crème frâiche and a teaspoon of grated parmesan, and mix everything well. Let the mushrooms and prosciutto sit in the crème frâiche for a few minutes while you drain your pasta. Make sure your pasta is well drained, and then add it directly to the pan with the sauce and mix everything together. You can add some salt and papper to taste if you like, but be careful with the salt. Taste first ... the prosciutto is going to contribute quite a lot to the saltiness of the dish already.

Finally, plate and serve with some freshly grated parmesan. Good to go!

See, I was really not exaggerating about how easy it is; the most difficult part is cutting prosciutto. And it takes as long to make the sauce as it take you to cook the pasta. What more could you ask for?

*Tip: Don't throw away your unused mushrooms or prosciutto, refer to our "Let's not waste anything!" page, and check out few ideas on how to use them.

Shrimp with garlic and herb butter over pasta

Ahh, summer is finally here. No wait, not yet. Now! No, wait. Yes, now! Wait a second ...

Whatever. Summer is almost here, sometimes.

A nice refreshing summer pasta is garlic and butter tossed shrimp, sometimes called Shrimp Scampi. Again, this is a really easy way to put it together, and you could get creative by added a few other ingredients, such as chives or nutmeg. Feel free to experiment, you can't hurt the shrimp's feelings.

You will need (for two people):

3-4 cloves of garlic
About a tablespoon of chopped parsley
25 grams of butter
Some bread (to make garlic bread on the side)
Some parmesan
Enough shrimp for two (I roughly assume a tight fistfull per person).
Pasta (follow directions on the box)

The main flavour to take from this dish is garlic, so lets start by chopping up the garlic.

Next, chop up some fresh parsley. If you don't have fresh parsley, use that dried green stuff that comes in the bottle labeled "Parsley Flakes", thats okay too.

Put your butter in a small saucepan on low-med heat and let start to melt.

Wait for the butter to meld completely and start to bubble. Wait for it ...

Add the chopped garlic and half the chopped parsley into your boiling butter.

You can let the garlic roast in the butter for as long or as short as you want; I like my garlic a bit browned, but not everybody does. Just keep monitoring your garlic, it will be soft and delicious in less than two minutes, and will brown just about after three minutes.

As soon as your garlic is browned, or done as you like, take the pan of the heat. I'm going to add some of my garlic on my halved ciabatta bread, and you can use whatever bread you want. Even sliced sandwich bread, if you like, but cut it into smaller strips so its easier to handle.

And then I'm going to top the bread with some parmesan. I'm not ready to put it in the oven yet, so I will leave it on the counter for a while, which also allows the melted butter to really permeate the bread.

Its time to start with the shrimp. I'm using uncooked but peeled shrimp. Now, shrimp cook quickly, so start your pasta boiling just before you start cooking the shrimp.

In a skillet, add some olive oil and butter, let it heat up on medium and then toss in your shrimp. Once they start turning pink, toss them around a bit and add your spices. I have added black and pink ground peppercorns; and again, feel free to experiment a bit.

The shrimp is done when it is all curled up and evenly pink.

At this stage, I'm going to add the rest of that butter and parsley I roasted, and toss them around with the shrimp. This is also a great time to put the garlic bread in the oven, just to grill it a bit to melt the cheese.

And finally, toss your cooked and drained pasta around in the shrimp and butter sauce, and serve. Top with the remaining parsley and sprinkle some parmesan if you like.

Now, I normally like my shrimp scampi served over Angel hair pasta, but I was unable to find any where I live. I personally feel that the smaller the pasta, the better for the butter.

That being said, I've seen shrimp scampi server over penne; I didn't try it so I can't opine one way or another, but the point is more that there are no rules here.

Unless you're Italian and you tell me there are rules.

Enjoy with a glass of crisp white wine.