Aphrodisiac Pasta
Plenty of lore and legend abound in the world of so-called aphrodisiacs. Everything from powdered rhinoceros horn to oysters to teas has been considered to afford an extra degree of desirability. Seafood, tomatoes, chiles, basil and of course, chocolate are some of the more common and widely considered elements of aphrodisiac food; several of them are in the pasta below -- pair it with Chocolate Hazelnut Fondue for a great romantic meal!

With apologies to Disney’s Lady & the Tramp, I don’t think long pasta is right for a romantic dinner. I like penne or farfalle for this, especially since they work perfectly with the size of the shrimp and tomato pieces. A mesclun salad with a light balsamic vinaigrette makes a nice first course.

1/2 pound medium shelled shrimp
1 jar Sicilian Bruschetta
2 Tablespoons Sicilian Pesto
1/3 cup Spaghettata blend Olive Oil or Hot Pepper Olive Oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 pound pasta of your choice (reserve 1 cup cooking water)
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Toss the peeled shrimp with three tablespoons of the spicy olive oil (or plain extra virgin olive oil olive oil with a teaspoon ground hot peppers, 2 cloves chopped garlic, and a pinch each of salt, oregano and parsley) and let sit 10 minutes. Cook shrimp over medium heat in a large skillet deep enough to hold the pasta. Sauté the shrimp, tossing frequently, until they turn pink. Add the wine and raise heat to high; let reduce until there is almost no liquid in the pan. Add the bruschetta (chop any really large pieces if desired), pesto and remaining olive oil. Toss with the cooked pasta and use reserved cooking water as needed so sauce coats pasta evenly. Serve immediately with grated cheese, if desired.

Alternative ideas: use frozen or fresh cooked lobster or crab meat in place of shrimp; skip marinating step, heat oil and add lobster to skillet with wine, reduce partially and add remaining sauce ingredients. You could also use jumbo shrimp, butterflied, and arranged on the pasta. Marinate the shrimp and cook as directed but remove them from the sauce after reducing the wine. Finish sauce, toss with pasta and arrange shrimp on top of each plate.