Six O’Clock Solution: Shrimp and feta get dressed up

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Combining shrimp and feta, writes Christopher Kimball, is a Greek tradition. In his new book Noodles, the latest in his Milk Street collection, the Boston cooking school director turns a popular Greek appetizer into a main course by adding pasta and spinach (Little, Brown/Hachette, $44).

This book tells you how to make each kind of pasta, from Japanese udon noodles to potato gnocchi and the real fettuccine Alfredo, and includes step-by-step photographs. Fast and easy cooks will find plenty of 20-minute recipes as well as 1-1/2-hour party dishes.

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Shrimp With Orzo, Tomatoes and Feta

Serves 4

1-1/2 cups (375 mL/150 g) orzo pasta

Kosher or coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 cups (750 mL/150 g) baby spinach

4 ounces (1 cup/250 mL) crumbled feta cheese

1 pound (500 g) extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined, patted dry

¼ cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon (15 mL) chopped fresh oregano

½ teaspoon (2 mL) red pepper flakes

1 can (28 ounces/796 mL) whole, peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand

In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts (2 L) water to a boil and cook the orzo pasta with 1-1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) salt until just tender, al dente. Reserve about ½ cup (125 mL) of the cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to the pan. Stir in the spinach and about three-quarters of the feta and set aside uncovered.

Meanwhile, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) frying pan over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook without stirring until lightly browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a bowl.

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Return frying pan with its oil to medium-high heat and cook onion with ¼ teaspoon (1 mL) salt, stirring occasionally until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic, oregano and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then add tomatoes and their juice and bring mixture to a simmer. Cover, lower heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, stir in shrimp and their accumulated juices, cover and let stand until the shrimp are opaque, 3 to 5 minutes.

Pour this sauce over the orzo-spinach mixture in the saucepan, stirring to combine. If mixture appears dry, add some reserved pasta cooking water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to a serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining feta and drizzle with a little oil.

julianarmstrong1@gmail.com

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