Shrimp Rigatoni

Years ago, we attempted to make shrimp rigatoni. The results deflated me, and the idea, along with our pasta extruder, was put on the shelf. Now, with a bit more knowledge and a faded memory of past failures, we decided to tackle the task again. The newest results showed promise and present new questions. We were able to make true rigatoni with shrimp, which was delicious. The questions were whether or not the results were better than the original and worth the effort in making them. As I type, I realize that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Our rigatoni is shrimp. The snap remains, as does the intense flavor. With the rigatoni getting there, it is time to reveal my real goal: to make shrimp shells. Unfortunately, inexpensive and slightly expensive pasta extruders do not come with a die for shells. For now, we will continue refining the rigatoni and perhaps venture into fusilli and macaroni. If anyone is up for sharing a pasta extruder for proteins, feel free to drop a note. It would be great to be able to say we ate a bowl of shrimp shells.