BAKED SHRIMP PARMESA – I threw the old rule of pairing seafood with cheese to the wind. I never was one to follow food rules.
Large shrimp smothered in spicy tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese are drizzled with olive oil and baked.
Unlike a traditional parmesan dish, you don’t need to bread and fry the shrimp first, a time-consuming and unnecessary step. Coming from one who loves fried food, they don’t really need it. It’s not worth the risk of overcooking them and turning them into rubber bands. Shrimp are fussy like that.
The shrimp are spread out on a baking sheet, topped with spoonfuls of arriabbata sauce, shredded mozzarella and a sprinkle of Parmesan.
With a drizzle of olive oil they’re baked first then briefly broiled to get some really good caramelization on the cheese. The crusty, browned tops of the cheese are one of the best parts so you don’t want to skip it.
You can serve them with pasta or rice or simply as is with crusty bread and a tossed salad.
You’ll be glad I broke the rules.
BAKED SHRIMP PARMESAN
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp 26-30 count, deveined with tails off
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 + ½ cups Arriabatta sauce
- 1 + ½ - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Grease a large non-stick baking sheet with olive oil and spread them out in one layer.
- Season them with salt and pepper. Top each shrimp with a scant tablespoon of sauce then about a tablespoon of mozzarella, going back over them if needed to use up all the cheese.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan over them and then drizzle lightly with olive oil.
- Bake 12 - 16 minutes, you can pull out one of the shrimp to test it and see if it's done.
- Heat the broiler and with the oven door open broil for 1 - 3 minutes, keeping a close eye on them, until the tops are browned.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve with cooked pasta, rice or with crusty bread and a salad.