This is the dish at the center of Starting from Zero with a Cataplana. A smoky, savory base of linguiça, garlic, tomatoes, and white wine, with large shrimp layered on top and finished in the oven. Simple to build, and more forgiving than it looks.
The recipe below is written for a gas or electric cooktop, where you can build the entire dish directly in the Cataplana from start to finish. If you're cooking on induction, or don't have a Cataplana at all, see the variations at the end.
Serves 4 | Easy
For the Base
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz linguiça, sliced into thin coins
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Shrimp
1.5 lbs large shrimp (26/30 count), peeled and deveined
Aleppo pepper to taste (optional, for heat)
To Serve
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Crusty bread
Preheat your oven to 400F.
Heat the olive oil directly in the Cataplana over medium heat. Add the linguiça and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it begins to render and the edges crisp slightly. Add the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute more.
Pour in the white wine and let it reduce for about 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Add the crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Arrange the shrimp on top of the base. If using, sprinkle Aleppo pepper over the shrimp. Close and latch the lid securely.
Transfer the Cataplana to the oven and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and just opaque through the thickest part. If your shrimp are stacked rather than in a single layer, lean toward the higher end of that range.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 2 minutes before opening. Open the Cataplana at the table and serve directly from the pan with crusty bread and fresh parsley scattered on top.
Cooking on an induction cooktop?
Copper Cataplana pans are not compatible with induction cooktops, so the base needs to be built in a separate skillet first. Follow steps 2 and 3 in a regular induction-compatible skillet, then transfer the base into the Cataplana, layer the shrimp on top, close the lid, and finish in the oven using the same temperature and timing above.
No Cataplana? No problem.
A Dutch oven or a deep oven-safe skillet with a tight-fitting lid works well as a substitute. Build the base directly in that vessel on the stovetop, add the shrimp, cover tightly, and finish in the oven using the same temperature and timing. The technique is identical. The tableside reveal is obviously lost, but the flavors are all there.
Have you cooked with a Cataplana before, or is this your first time? Tell us how it went in the comments.
