This Is Just What Everyone Needs: A Delicious Make-Ahead Pasta Dish

If autumn weather puts you in an party mood, plan on entertaining with this delicious, make-ahead meal of Baked Angel Hair and Shrimp.

In general, pasta is hard to serve for a party because it requires intensive last-minute cooking and split-second timing. Not this fragrant, low-fat ensemble of pasta, cooked shrimp and herbs. It can be assembled hours in advance and popped in the oven just before serving time.

The “sauce” is really a delicious blend of basil, green onions, chopped tomato, white wine and low-fat clam chowder. No oil, butter, margarine or cream is added during the cooking, so the dish is naturally low in fat. One serving has just 4 grams of fat.

Baked Angel Hair and Shrimp

Nonstick cooking spray

8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti

12 ounces frozen, fully cooked, peeled shrimp, thawed (about 3 cups frozen)

1 green onion, chopped

2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 1/3 cup pulp)

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed through a press

1/2 cup fresh chopped basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/4 cup dry white wine, such as chardonnay

1 cup low-fat, low-sodium clam chowder

3-1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with a 5-cup or larger capacity with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling water according to the package directions. When tender, drain, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the thawed shrimp, green onion, tomatoes, garlic, basil, white wine and clam chowder. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, reserving 1/2 tablespoon for the top. Stir in the cooked pasta and toss to coat the ingredients evenly. Spoon into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the reserved Parmesan cheese on top. Lightly coat a sheet of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cover the baking dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot from dish with lemon wedges on the side, if desired.

Yield: 5 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 300 calories, 4 grams fat (12 percent fat calories), 24 grams protein, 38 grams carbohydrate, 122 milligrams cholesterol, 409 milligrams sodium.

Note: You can prepare this dish up to 8 hours in advance and bake it when you are ready to serve. If you prepare the dish in advance, cover it tightly with foil and store in the refrigerator.

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