Spaghetti With Shrimp

This is a very simple recipe using few ingredients to make a great meal.

2 slices white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
Salt and pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
8 ounces spaghetti, broken in half
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook bread crumbs until golden, about 5 minutes. Add half of garlic and 1/8 teaspoon pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds; transfer to bowl. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.

Cut the shrimp in half, pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of shrimp and cook without moving it until spotty brown on first side, about 1 minute; transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining shrimp.

Add tomatoes, water, pasta, remaining garlic, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper flakes to now-empty skillet and bring to boil. Cover and cook over medium heat until pasta begins to soften, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until pasta is nearly al dente, about 5 minutes.

Add shrimp and cook over medium-low heat until shrimp is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in basil. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. Serve.