Baked Orzo with Shrimp, Lemon and Feta

All sorts of ingredients— sun-dried tomatoes, olives, peas, or corn —can be added to this baked pasta for extra flavor and color. Serve this side with a seared steak for a Mediterranean version of surf and turf.

• 5 Tbs. olive oil, more for the dish
• 1 lb. shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.), peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 5 oz. baby spinach
• 1 lb. orzo
• 6 oz. feta, crumbled (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup Panko

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with oil.

Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the shrimp start to lose their raw color (but don’t cook through), about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the spinach and cook, tossing, until it starts to wilt, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well and toss with the shrimp mixture, feta, 2 Tbs. oil, half the thyme, and lemon zest. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining Tbs. oil, the remaining tsp. thyme, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Sprinkle on top of the pasta.

Bake the pasta until the breadcrumbs brown and the pasta heats through, about 20 minutes (cover with foil if the top browns too quickly). Let cool for a couple of minutes and then serve.