SHRIMP ROSEMARY
- 1 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only (about 2 cups loosely packed)
- 1 bunch basil, leaves only (about 2 cups packed)
- 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds large shrimp (21–30 per pound), peeled and deveined
- 12 large rosemary sprigs, prepared as skewers and soaked in water for at least 2 hours, or overnight
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
Instructions:
- TOSS THE PARSLEY AND BASIL LEAVES into a food processor, add the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup of the olive oil, and zap until the herbs are chopped and the bread crumbs look green. Transfer to a pie plate or wide shallow bowl, add the shrimp, and toss to coat well.
- Skewer 4 or 5 shrimp on each rosemary sprig (the easiest way to do this is line up 4 or 5 shrimp at a time on a work surface and run a skewer through them; then separate them slightly so they will cook evenly). Dredge on both sides in the bread crumb mixure, place on a platter, and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Put a piastra  on the grill to preheat.
- Spritz or brush the piastra with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the skewers on the piastra and cook, turning once, just until the shrimp are opaque throughout and some of the crumbs are browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with the lemon wedges.
- Note: It’s easy to make skewers from rosemary sprigs. Choose large sturdy sprigs that are about 8 inches long.
- Pull off most of the leaves from each sprig, leaving a nice tuft of leaves at the top (use the remaining leaves in the dish you are making, or reserve for another use). Using a sharp knife, cut off the bottom of the sprig on a diagonal to give you a sharp point. The skewer will slide easily through the shrimp when you skewer them.
- The rosemary skewers, which are easy to make, impart an herbal fragrance to the shrimp, and they look both rustic and elegant at the same time. Alla romagnola means that these spiedini are a specialty of Romagna, the eastern part of the region Emilia-Romagna.