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1
Prep the Shrimp and Aromatics
12 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Peel and devein the shrimp and pat them very dry with paper towels. Halve the larger cherry tomatoes, halve the olives, mince the garlic, chop the onion finely and chop the parsley. Measure the cumin, coriander, paprika, pepper flakes, salt and black pepper into one small bowl.
Having every spice measured before the pan gets hot is what keeps this fast sauce from burning.
Done when: Shrimp dry and ready, tomatoes halved, garlic minced, spices measured in one bowl.
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2
Boil the Linguine
10 Mins
Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil, add the linguine and cook until 1 minute shy of the packet time so it finishes in the sauce. Before draining, scoop out 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.
The pasta water is liquid gold here — its starch is what turns the tomato and oil into a sauce that clings.
Done when: Linguine just under al dente, still firm in the middle; a cup of cloudy pasta water saved.
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3
Sear the Shrimp
4 Mins
Medium-high heat, about 200°C (400°F); shrimp to 63°C (145°F)
While the pasta boils, heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the olive oil in a large deep pan over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp lightly, lay them in a single layer and sear 1–2 minutes per side until just pink and curled. Lift them out onto a plate at once — they finish cooking later in the sauce.
Do not crowd the pan: shrimp that touch each other steam grey instead of searing pink. Cook in two batches if needed.
Done when: Shrimp pink and curled into a loose C, opaque at the edges, reading 63°C (145°F).
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4
Build the Alexandrian Sauce
8 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil and the onion, and cook 3 minutes until soft and sweet. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika and pepper flakes and stir 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the cherry tomatoes and 60 ml (1/4 cup) of the pasta water and simmer 3–4 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the sauce turns glossy.
If the garlic browns, the sauce turns bitter — keep the heat at medium and stir the spices the whole 30 seconds.
Done when: A glossy, brick-red sauce with softened tomatoes and a smell of garlic, cumin and tomato.
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5
Toss the Pasta and Shrimp
3 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Add the drained linguine, the seared shrimp and the olives to the sauce with the lemon juice and a splash more pasta water. Toss with tongs for 2–3 minutes until every strand is coated and the shrimp are heated through and opaque all the way through. Add pasta water a spoonful at a time if the pan looks dry.
Toss, do not stir with a spoon — tongs lift the pasta through the sauce without breaking the shrimp.
Done when: Every strand glossy and coated, shrimp hot and opaque, sauce clinging rather than pooling.
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6
Finish and Serve
3 Mins
Hot, about 70°C (158°F)
Take the pan off the heat, rest it for 1 minute, then scatter the parsley over the top and divide between four warm bowls. Serve at once with lemon wedges and baladi bread.
Parsley goes on off the heat — cooked parsley turns dark and loses its fresh bite.
Done when: Four steaming bowls of glossy linguine with pink shrimp, red tomatoes and green parsley.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the pasta the moment it leaves the pan, while the shrimp are still springy and the sauce is glossy — a bowl that sits cools into a clump, so bring everyone to the table first.
Egypt
1h 15m
