Recipe: Penne "Alla Betsy"

The recipe comes from Ree Drummond, also known as "The Pioneer Woman." If you haven't heard of her, you might be living under a rock. I started reading her blog way back when, but she now has two cookbooks (I own the first one) and a Food Network cooking show. Needless to say, she's kind of a big deal.

This Penne "alla Betsy" (named for her younger sister, but more accurately, it penne pasta in a tomato-cream sauce) recipe was posted on her cooking blog nearly five years ago, and I think I've been drooling over it ever since. I can't recall why I've never made it before, but I see the error of my ways now. 

Take note, however, this is in no way a healthy or diet dish. Pasta AND cream AND butter AND wine? Sigh. Sometimes a girl has to splurge. I did cut out one tablespoon butter and the olive oil without any major ramifications, though; though the recipe below is as Ree originally wrote it. I also added a bit of red pepper for a little spice, which I enjoyed.

Penne Alla Betsy
Serves 6

3/4 pounds Penne Pasta
1 pound Shrimp
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Onion (small)
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 cup White Wine, Or To Taste
1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
1 cup Heavy Cream
Fresh Parsley, to taste
Fresh Basil - To Taste
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste

The directions, as the Pioneer Women writes them...r

Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.

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Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of extra large shrimp. Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside.

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Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.

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In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your white wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use wine, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about ½ cup).

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Now add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.

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Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil, or if you're feeling very proper, chiffonaded.

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Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

rDon't spend five years looking at this recipe like I did -- make it now!