Semi-homemade meals are kind of my thing; the less time I can spend in the kitchen means the more time I can spend eating the food.
Inspired by my love for Italian and hatred of missing any of my Real Housewives of New Jersey episode, this meal only needs your attention for the equivalent of two commercial breaks.
Ingredients:
Angel hair pasta
Pre-cooked shrimp, defrosted (I used a 12 oz frozen bag, already peeled and de-veined)
One can of tomatoes, diced
Fresh basil leaves, ripped by hand (MUST be fresh)
Mozzarella, diced (I used half of a small block)
3 tablespoons of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Instructions:
1.) Boil water and cook pasta
2.) Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to an uncovered skillet thats been heated to medium-low. Make sure the pan is not too hot or the garlic (which is added next) will burn and become bitter.
3.) Immediately add the 3 tablespoons of minced garlic to the heated oil and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes.
4.) Drain about half of the liquid from the can of tomatoes and then add to the skillet with the oil and garlic. Allow to heat through and let some of the liquid evaporate, do not cover the pan.
5.) Reduce the heat on the skillet between low and medium
6.) Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel. When your pasta is about 3 minutes away from being done, add the shrimp to the skillet with the tomato and garlic. Again, the shrimp is fully cooked, so you only need to heat the shrimp through and allow it to absorb some of the garlic flavor. (I really like garlic, so I added about a teaspoon of garlic powder at this point)
7.) Let the shrimp cook in the mixture for 3-4 minutes, any longer and the shrimp will become rubbery. Stir occasionally.
8.) Drain pasta well and add to the skillet mixture, tossing ingredients together. Add a few tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese (the powdered Kraft kind works better than fresh, since we're using it as a thickening agent)
9.) Plate shrimp and pasta and top with liberal amounts of diced mozzarella and fresh basil.
Tips & Tricks:
- I found the meal to be plenty salty, probably due to the canned tomatoes, so I did not add any of my own salt.
- Keep it simple; avoid the urge to add a lot of dried herbs or additional ingredients. Let the fresh mozz and basil shine.
- Using angel hair pasta, rather than fettuccine or spaghetti, kept dish feeling nice and light.
