This recipe is from Ken Calascione (see his biography) - to view his website click here.

This is what he had to say about this recipe:

"I began working in Italian restaurants several decades ago, eventually becoming chef /owner of Ristorante La Traviata, in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1989. This recipe is from the La Traviata files".

Ingredients

1 pound linguine
24 medium shrimp, peeled with veins removed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, evenly diced
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons capers
6 basil leaves, finely sliced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped fine
4 pinches saffron
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the linguine, stirring the pasta from time to time to prevent sticking.

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over moderate heat, put in the diced onions and cook until they have become translucent and turn lightly golden around the edges. Add the white wine and simmer. When the wine evaporates by half, add the chopped tomatoes, capers, saffron, freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste. Let simmer for a few moments, add the shrimp, stirring them into the sauce, allow the shrimp to cook almost completely before adding the basil leaves and chopped parsley. Set aside if the pasta has not finished cooking.

When the linguine has cooked al dente, strain the pasta, combine with the shrimp sauce over moderate heat, stir and evenly join the ingredients. Remove from the stove and immediately transfer to 4 individual bowls with 6 shrimp placed atop each bowl of pasta.

Serves 4