Pasta "with Pink Sauce"

Or at least that's how we always referred to it growing up.

As with so many recipes that are passed along, the next generation tweaks something here or there to make it more appealing to their style. In the case of this pasta dish, I use diced zucchini instead of eggplant (and garlic, of course). But I used to request this meal from my mother whenever I was coming home from college and was preparing for a home-cooking-fest.

Other ingredients: 1 medium onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp anchovy paste,1 Tbsp tomato paste, 24 oz can crushed tomatoes, Old Bay seasoning to taste (1-3 tsp), splash of cream, shrimp, salt for seasoning, and about 1/2 cup fresh basil.

Start by dicing and sautéing the onions in  about 2 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. When they become translucent add the garlic and zucchini, season with salt, and cook until tender.

Add tomato paste and anchovy paste and allow to cook out for about a minute.

Add canned tomatoes, half the fresh basil, and Old Bay seasoning and cook down for about 20-30 minutes, lid on.

Now that your flavors have deepened and combined, add as much cream as makes you happy. A splash if you just want a hint of richness, or a 1/3 cup if you want it very creamy and pink.

Check your seasoning and add more Old Bay if there isn't enough kick.

Add the rest of the fresh basil now as well, reserving a pinch for garnish.

You have options for the shrimp. You can sear them with a bit of Old Bay in a separate frying pan and add them to the finished pasta dish, or you can put them in the sauce and cook them with the lid on, about 4 minutes depending on how large the shrimp are.

Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and allow to combine another minute.

Traditionally my family eats this meal with capellini, but this time around I felt like a tubular pasta that would catch more of the sauce. Either type works well.

Enjoy!