Pasta With Shrimp and Artichokes

• Servings: 4.

This easy pasta dish can be made almost entirely from your pantry. And if you consider your freezer part of your pantry and you have a bag of frozen shrimp on hand, it's a completely pantry meal.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes or whole tomatoes, with their juices, crushed into fine pieces with your hands or an immersion blender
• 1 9 oz. package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained or 1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained (use a paper towel to squeeze each heart to remove any remaining moisture)
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 pound ziti or penne
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

1. In a large pot bring a large amount of salted water to a boil.
2. In a separate sauté pan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomatoes, any tomato juice, artichoke hearts, and lemon juice and gently simmer until the artichokes are tender and the sauce begins to thicken a bit, about 15 minutes. It's okay if the artichoke hearts fall apart a bit.
4. Begin to cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, until al dente.
5. Raise the heat under the sauce to medium high and add the shrimp so that each piece is submerged in the sauce. Continue to simmer until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce, stirring to coat.
7. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.