Praiano Shrimp Gnocchi

Praiano Shrimp Gnocchi

 

     Sitting on the same cobblestone patio where I had my taste of stuffed zucchini flowers. The air is sweet with the smell of lemons and flowers. There is a breeze coming off the ocean below. The sun is about to set and the sky is filled with the most beautiful colors of red, orange, and yellow. The music playing overhead is that of an accordion that is softly putting me in a relaxing state. I had just finished the zucchini flowers and am taking a nice lengthy sip from my wine glass. The lovely lady brings me a dish and gently sits it in front of me. I beautiful plate of gnocchi with fresh prawns gently lining the parameter of the dish. The sauce is so light and barely looks as if it is even on the plate. It is the color of light orange and glistens in the sunlight. The smell is that of fresh peppers with hints of lemon. I take my first bite and fall deeply in love. I call this dish Praiano Shrimp Gnocchi.

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1 lb shrimp
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1 large lemon
• 1/2 cup white wine
• Small fresh diced basil
• Small fresh diced parsley
• 1 clove garlic

1. Take the orange bell pepper and place it in the broiler or on a grill to roast and blacken the outer skin.

2. Once blackened remove and place in a brown paper bag so as to steam the rest of the pepper. Peel the skin off and place in a blender.

3. Add a drizzle of olive oil and puree the pepper until you have a smooth peppered liquid.

4. In a large saute pan drizzle a bit of olive oil and saute the garlic until fragrant.

5. Mix in the pepper puree, tomato juice, and white wine. Bring to a slow simmer and cook until the
liquid has reduced by half.

6. Juice as much from the lemon as possible and place into the pan.

7. Place your peeled and deveined shrimp into the pan.

8. Stir in the diced basil, cover, and simmer until the shrimp have cooked through.

9. Toss with homemade gnocchi and sprinkle some fresh parsley over top.

     This was such a good dish and tasted just like I remember from that balcony in Praiano. A sweet tasting sauce, light, with flavors of the roasted pepper, the lemon accent, and the fresh shrimp. It was amazing. Give it a try.

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 15 min.
Serves: 2-4

Original Dish in Praiano