Fried Old Bay Shrimp Pasta

Was going for a scampi sauce when all of a sudden woosh-- it turned itself into a spectacular sea side affair. I know there's butter and oil in here, but hey, you only live once and everything is good in moderation. ;)

Ingredients:

1/3 lb spaghetti pasta
12, 16/20 shrimp thawed, peeled, deviened and patted dry with paper towel
1 1/2 cups baby arugula
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Vegetable oil for frying


Sauce
1/2 stick lightly salted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup 2% milk
1 1/4 tbsp flour


Breading
1 egg
1/2 cup italian style bread crumbs
1/2 cup powdered parmesan
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

• Bring one pan of UNsalted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente and drain.
• Meanwhile, heat a skillet filled to about 1 inch high of vegetable oil to fry shrimps. 375* Degrees.
• In a small bowl, wisk milk and flour together. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, crack and wisk egg for your egg wash.
• In a shallow plate combine breading ingredients and sift together.
• Coat shrimp in egg then coat with breading mixture. Fry until golden brown on both sides. About 2 minutes on each side. Continue until all shrimps are fried. Dry on paper towels.
• Turn another pot on medium heat and add butter, melting slowly. Add garlic and shallots and let marry 1 minute.
• Add olive oil to butter mixture. Stir with wisk until almost incorporated. Add milk+flour mixture and turn heat to low-medium. Let thicken while still wisking. Add pepper and O.B.S.
• When thick, add pasta and arugula to sauce until the arugula has just wilted.
• Divide pasta mixture between 2 plates and place a circle of 6 shrimps, tail up, in the middle.

Sprinkle with the crushed red pepper flakes and you are in for a seriously good "lick-the-plate-clean" meal!!