Directions

Prepare the Shrimp

1. Pat the shrimp dry and toss them in a small bowl with the kosher salt and baking soda. Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Rinse the shrimp briefly under cold water, pat them very dry with paper towels, and season lightly with black pepper.

Cook the Pasta

1. Bring a 5-qt sauté pan or a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is just shy of al dente, which is approximately 1 minute less than the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta. Do not rinse it.

Sear the Shrimp

1. While the pasta cooks, heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter is foaming, add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds per side until they are lightly golden and almost cooked through. Transfer the shrimp immediately to a plate. They should remain slightly underdone in the center.

Burst the Tomatoes

1. Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter, then drop in the cherry tomatoes. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes are blistered and beginning to burst. Reserve approximately one-third of these tomatoes for garnish, leaving the remaining two-thirds in the skillet.

Build the Piccata Sauce

1. Add the minced garlic and capers to the skillet. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol and reduce slightly. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and lemon zest, bringing the liquid to a gentle simmer. Stir in the cannellini beans and simmer for 3 minutes. The liquid should reduce only slightly; do not aggressively boil down the sauce.

Emulsify the Sauce

1. Reduce the skillet heat to low. Stir in the cold, cubed butter one piece at a time, waiting until each cube is fully incorporated before adding the next. The sauce will become glossy, velvety, and lightly emulsified. Do not let the sauce boil once the butter has been added, or the emulsion will break.

Combine the Dish

1. Add the spinach to the pan and stir until it is just wilted, which takes about 30 seconds. Add the cooked pasta and immediately pour in ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss gently over low heat until the pasta is evenly coated. Add additional pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, only if the sauce looks too dry.
2. Fold in the two-thirds of the blistered tomatoes from the pan and return the shrimp, along with any accumulated juices, back to the skillet. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, tossing gently, until the shrimp are fully cooked through and the pasta is coated in a glossy sauce. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the reserved caper brine, chopped parsley, and basil. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, or extra lemon juice.

Serve

1. Serve from the pan or transfer the pasta to a large shallow serving platter. Top the pasta with the reserved burst tomatoes. Garnish the surface with fresh parsley leaves, basil leaves, and lemon wedges. Finish with a light grating of Parmesan if desired and serve immediately.