Pan-Seared Fideuà with Shrimp

Step 1

Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a 12-inch skillet and place it over medium-high heat for 90 seconds until the oil shimmers and moves quickly when you tilt the pan.

Step 2

Add the 4 oz of vermicelli pasta and stir constantly for 2 minutes until the noodles turn light golden brown and smell nutty, so they stay crispy rather than absorb too much liquid.

Step 3

Pour in the 1.5 cups of broth and stir once to loosen any stuck pasta from the pan bottom, then leave it undisturbed for 5 minutes so the bottom layer crisps.

Step 4

Scatter the 8 oz of shrimp evenly over the pasta and add the 2 minced garlic cloves, spreading them throughout.

Step 5

Stir gently once, then leave the pan untouched over medium-high heat for 4 minutes until the shrimp turn opaque pink (not gray) and the broth is mostly absorbed.

Step 6

Taste a small bite of noodle from the bottom edge of the pan; it should be tender but the very bottom should feel crispy. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then serve directly from the skillet.