Summer is winding down but we’re still taking full advantage of our summer crops here in Connecticut. Tomatoes and zucchini are in abundance. A trip to one of our local farmer’s markets led us to discover a variety of tomato we’ve never seen before; the Candyland tomato. It’s tiny, smaller than a cherry tomato, and each one weighs just 1/4 ounce. We just had to buy them! Figuring out what to do with them would come later. Then, we spotted these baby zucchini and the idea to use them both in a pasta dish was sparked. We decided they would pair well with shrimp, a light cream sauce, and fresh herbs. This dish is full of late summer flavors and is a definite must make for a weekday or weekend dinner. Try it out and let us know what you think!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound raw, shell-on shrimp
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 8 ounces baby zucchini
• 1 pint clam juice
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 pint Candyland tomatoes, divided
• 12 ounces pappardelle pasta
• 1 ounce freshly shaved parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon fresh Italian oregano

Method of Preparation

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and place raw shell-on shrimp in the water to cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove when shrimp floats to the top and is pink. Place into a bowl with ice water to immediately stop the cooking process.
2. Peel and devein shrimp and set aside in a bowl.
3. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil for the pasta.
4. Using a large saucepan, add the 2 tablespoons of butter, salt, and white pepper and allow to melt over medium-low heat.
5. Slice the baby zucchini on a diagonal and sauté for 5-6 minutes on medium-low heat.
6. Add in the clam juice, warmed light cream,* and half of the Candyland tomatoes. Cook sauce for 20-25 minutes. The tomatoes will burst and turn the sauce a light pink color.
7. When the sauce has 10 minutes left to cook, add the pappardelle pasta into the boiling water and cook according to package instructions. (Typically 10-12 minutes.)
8. Drain the pasta and add to a deep serving bowl. Add in the cooked sauce and fresh herbs and mix gently.
9. Top with shrimp, remaining tomatoes, and parmesan cheese.

NOTE: *To warm the cream, place into a bowl and microwave for 30-45 seconds. The reason you want to warm the cream is so that you aren’t adding cold cream to a hot pan which could end up curdling the cream.

Enjoy!