Baked Orzo With Shrimp, Tomato Sauce, And Feta - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 lbs large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 lb orzo pasta
1/2 cup kalamata olives or 1/2 cup other oil-cured olives, pitted and chopped
1 lb feta cheese, patted dry and crumbled (3 cups)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cook onion, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes in 1 tablespoon oil in a 4 quart pot over moderately high heat, stirring, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes.
Add wine and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and salt and reduce heat, and simmer briskly, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.
Stir shrimp into sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes.
While sauce and shrimp are cooking, cook orzo in a 6 quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain in a sieve.
Return orzo to pot and toss with remaining tablespoon oil.
Stir in sauce with shrimp and reserved cooking water, then add olives and salt and pepper, to taste.
Spoon 1/2 of pasta into an oiled 13 X 9 by 2 inch glass baking dish, then sprinkle with 1/2 of the feta.
Top with remaining pasta and feta, then bake in middle of the oven, uncovered, until cheese is slightly melted and pasta is heated through, about 10-15 minutes.