Thaw the shrimp. Dice the onion, and mince the garlic. Measure out the remaining ingredients and have them close by.
1 pound Large Raw Shrimp, 1 cup sweet or yellow onion, 1 Tablespoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher or fine grind sea salt, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, pinch of red pepper flakes
Boiling the Pasta
Pressure Cooker Instructions: This can be started after you prep all the ingredients and are ready to make the sauce. Place the 8 ounces of Rigatoni into the inner pot of your pressure cooker and add just enough water to cover the pasta. This will be about 3¾-4 cups of cold water. Add the salt. Put the pressure lid and make sure the valve is set to seal. Set the pressure cooker on high for 2 minutes. Press start and Begin to make the sauce.
8 ounces Rigatoni Pasta, water for boiling pasta, salt for boiling pasta
Stove Top Instructions: Start the pot of water boiling when you start prepping for the recipe. Fill a large pot with 8-10 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the salt (you can use more since you have more water) and allow the pot to return to a boil before adding the pasta. Add the pasta when you are half way done making the parma rosa sauce. This is just before you add the parmesan cheese and cream. Once the pasta is added, cook 1 minute less than the package instructions state.
8 ounces Rigatoni Pasta, water for boiling pasta
Making the Parma Rosa Sauce
Heat a 5-quart skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and heat for 2 minutes. Add the diced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, 1 cup sweet or yellow onion
Turn the heat down to medium. Add the minced garlic and stir. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and break it up in the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly so the garlic and tomato paste doesn't burn.
1 Tablespoon minced garlic, 6 ounces tomato paste
Add the seasoning blend and stir well. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and the beef or chicken broth (or stock). Stir to combine and simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes. This is when you want to add your pasta to the boiling water if you cooking the pasta stovetop.
14.5 ounces Fire Roasted Tomatoes, 1 cup beef broth
Add about 2 ounces (about ½ cup) of the parmesan cheese and stir to combine. You can add as much or as little cheese as you like. I usually use about ¾ cup in the sauce and then extra for garnish. The more cheese you add, the thicker the sauce will be. If it is too thick, you can thin it out with more cream or pasta water.
4-6 ounces parmesan cheese
Add in the heavy cream and stir to combine. Maintain the heat so the sauce is gently simmering. You do not want it to boil, so reduce the heat as needed. You can add as much or as little cream as you want to the sauce. I usually add ½ cup to the sauce and then add a little more to the leftovers before refrigerating them.
½-¾ cup heavy cream
By this time the pasta should be done. Drain it, but reserve some of the pasta water in case you need it (and it's great to add to leftovers before freezing). Stir in the cooked pasta and add the shrimp. Stir well and cover the pan. The shrimp will take about 5 minutes to cook and the sauce should remain at a low simmer the entire time. Stir every couple of minutes to move the shrimp around so they cook evenly.
Once the shrimp are fully cooked and you will be able to tell because they curl up and turn a light pink in color, add the baby spinach, a cup or two at at time, and stir into the pasta. Once all the spinach is added, turn the heat off and cover until serving. It is best to serve it within 5-10 minutes.
4 cups baby spinach
Scoop out the pasta into a bowl or plate and garnish with grated parmesan and fresh basil if desired. Enjoy!