Shrimp Oreganata

How to Make Shrimp Oreganata

• Get ready. Preheat the oven to 425°F. 
• Make the oreganata. In a large bowl, stir together 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Using a microplane, grate 1 garlic clove ans the zest of 1 lemon into the bread crumb mixture. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and stir together until fully combined. The final product should be a little clumpy, with the texture of wet sand.
• Season the shrimp. In a large bowl, combine  2 pounds peeled (with tails left on) and deveined 16/20 shrimp, 3 cloves roughly chopped garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup dry white wine, and 2 tablespoons minced parsley. 
• Assemble the dish. In an 8” cake pan, casserole dish or oven-proof skillet, arrange shrimp around the edges of the pan so their tails point up. Fill the middle of the pan with the remaining shrimp, packing them in as snugly as you can into a single, even layer. Pour the remaining wine and garlic liquid from the bowl over the shrimp. 
• Add the oreganata. Top the shrimp mixture evenly with oreganata then drizzle 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the oreganata.
• Bake the shrimp. Bake, rotating the pan once in the middle of baking, until the shrimp are opaque (be sure to peek under the oreganata mixture at a shrimp in the middle of the pan to make sure they’re all cooked through) and the oreganata topping is slightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. 
• Finish and serve. Squeeze lemon wedges over the dish and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of minced parsley on top. Serve immediately with crusty bread on the side for dipping.

What is Oreganata?

Oreganata (sometimes called oreganato) is a flavored breadcrumb topping used in many Italian-American dishes, such as Baked Clams Oreganata or these Utica Greens. Typically, a mixture of breadcrumbs, dried oregano, and cheese, in this recipe, I’ve left out the cheese because the shrimp simply don’t need it! Dried oregano is the key seasoning for this recipe, so make sure yours has a good, strong aroma! 

• READ MORE: Oregano: Everything You Need to Know About This Essential Mediterranean Herb
• TRY IT: Fragrant Greek Oregano, grown and harvested in Greece

Make it Your Own

With a minimal ingredient list and a speedy prep time, this recipe is a template for you to experiment.

• Make It A Meal: Serve alongside homemade pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine.
• Make It Gluten-Free: Substitute in gluten-free fine or panko-style breadcrumbs.
• Spice It Up! Increase the red pepper flakes from 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon. For even more spice, stir in 1 teaspoon of chopped Calabrian chile paste into the shrimp mixture before baking.
• Switch Up The Protein: Substitute scallops, halibut, or try using a chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces. If using a different protein, you may have to increase the time in the oven. Make sure you’re checking the internal temperature before serving to ensure it is fully cooked through. 
• Herb Swap: Try substituting parsley with fresh tarragon to give this dish a bit of a French flair. A combination of fresh sage and thyme will lend this dish a winter holiday flavor profile, while using fresh dill will give it more of a summery vibe. Basil can be used for a garnish in place of the fresh parsley, but it tends to wilt and get a little slimy in the oven so I would leave it out of the baked portion of the recipe. 
• Make It Alcohol-Free: Swap out the wine for chicken stock or seafood stock. If going with this option, I would use 2 tablespoons of stock and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in place of the white wine.