Mrs Bailey’s Shrimp Spaghetti

(yes, of course you can use other pasta; no, of course you don’t have to use shrimp)

Photo by Olayinka Babalola on Unsplash

When the girls of the Crater School are served pasta for supper, it’s often this or a variation on this. Similarly, when Mrs B is throwing together a quick holiday meal for herself and her friend, or putting a tray together for a member of staff who missed dinner, this or something like it is quite likely.

Variations are obvious, and easy. Prefer chicken to shrimp? Carry on. Would rather have mushrooms than peas? Go right ahead. Etc etc, so on and so forth. Chop and change according to what’s in the larder, or simply according to whim. Whim is sovereign in the kitchen, as elsewhere.

Spaghetti or other pasta, cooked to taste

Butter or olive oil, or both

500g shrimp, peeled and cut into two or three pieces if large

250g sugar snap peas, cut up small

Bacon, fried crisp

A dozen cherry tomatoes, halved

Half a dozen cloves of garlic, sliced

Basil leaves, from a couple of stems

Parmesan or other hard cheese, grated fine

Cream, on standby