Orecchiette pasta with shrimp in tomato sauce

Ingredients:

• 350 g of pasta orecchiette
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 small bulb of fennel, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fennel leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp dried pepper flakes
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 250g medium-sized shrimp, peeled, heads and dark veins removed, meat coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup fresh basilica, tear by hand
• Coarse salt

Preparation:

1. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette pasta and cook for the amount of time indicated on the package. Before the end of cooking, pour off 1.5 cups of the cooking liquid into a separate container. Drain the remaining liquid.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes.
   
   Cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes (if the mixture burns, add a little water). Add the tomato, shrimp, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of the pasta liquid. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are reduced to a puree, about 8 minutes more.
3. Add the pasta and cheese to the pan and toss with the sauce. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt to taste. If the sauce is thick, add more pasta liquid. Stir in the basil and fennel leaves.