Penne with Cajun Shrimp Sauce

1. Boil Water

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, using just enough water to cover the pasta by 1-2 inches. This will save you some time waiting for the water to boil and will also ensure that you have plenty of starch in the pasta water to help hold your emulsion (which is what makes restaurant pasta so good!). Add about two teaspoons of salt per quart of water, right before you're going to use it, as you don't want the water to reduce and become too salty. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and place a lid on the pot until you're ready to cook the pasta.

2. Cook Shrimp

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with a pinch of salt. Cook the shrimp until they are about 80% done, showing a pink and slightly opaque color, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the shrimp and set aside to cool.

3. Sweat Aromatics

In the same pan, lower the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic, scallion, bell pepper, and celery. Sweat the vegetables with a pinch of salt until they are softened and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Stirring frequently, you'll notice the vegetables become tender, a sign they are releasing their flavors. Feel free to add another splash of olive oil if needed.

4. Toast Spices

Add the Old Bay seasoning and chili flake to the pan, stirring for about 1-2 minutes. The spices should become fragrant, indicating they are toasted and have bloomed.

5. Add Tomato and Cream

Add the cream to the pan and let it reduce by about half. Then pour in the crushed canned tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes. The tomatoes will darken slightly and the sauce will begin to thicken.

6. Cook Pasta

Bring the water back to a boil and cook the penne in the salted water. Remove the pasta when it's 95% cooked, which is typically 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente. Once it's cooked, drain the pasta and reserve about a cup of the pasta water.

7. Sauce Pasta

Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce and continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes, simmering over medium heat, until the pasta is fully cooked and the sauce clings to the penne.

8. Finishing Ingredients

Add the cooked shrimp back into the pan to reheat and finish cooking. Once the shrimp are heated through, remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. The residual heat will melt the cheese creating a rich and cohesive sauce.

9. Serve

Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan, chili flake, and chopped parsley if desired.