My Baked Pasta is a crowd pleaser!
INGREDIENTS
1 16-ounce bag ziti pasta
1 15-ounce can pitted black olives
1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts
1 pound shrimp*
1 pound sliced sausage
8 ounces shredded Asiago cheese or fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Black pepper
Sola Cajun Seasoning or Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
To prepare the pasta, boil water and add the salt and oil. When the water is boiling, place the pasta in the water and boil for 8 minutes (only!). Drain and run cool water over the pasta. Then, set aside. The pasta will be very firm and will finish cooking in the oven.
Nina’s Tip: *Shrimp should always be fresh! But if you can only get frozen shrimp, be sure to cook the shrimp before you add it to your pot. Frozen shrimp are imported and pumped up with water to look nice. The water pumped into the shrimp will ruin your meal. So, cook the shrimp separately, then add it to your dish.
Dry the shrimp with a paper towel. When dry, apply a small amount of Sola Cajun Seasoning or Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, then set aside.
In a large bowl, add the pasta, olives and artichokes and then mix together. Add the shredded Asiago cheese or fresh grated Parmesan cheese (I prefer the Asiago) and mix together. Toss in the shrimp and lightly mix. Be careful not to remove the spices on the shrimp.
Prepare a large baking dish with a small amount of olive oil on bottom. Add the pasta mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes uncovered.
Everyone will love this dish. And it’s is different because it is a dry pasta; no sauce is required!
