My mom invented this recipe years ago when we were living in Louisiana. The only difference is she made it with crawfish tails leftover from when we had a crawfish boil. It’s hard to get crawfish tails in Georgia so now I make it with shrimp. When it’s made with crawfish tails, the seasoning in the tails is all you need. But when making it with shrimp I find it needs a little extra something, hence the basil. The basil, along with the tomatoes on top helps keep it from being too heavy.
You will need:
1 lb shrimp
8 oz dry elbow macaroni or other pasta
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp melted butter
1 cup half and half
1 1/4 cups shredded fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped basil
4 small tomatoes, sliced
Dry shrimp and chop. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
In large bowl stir together eggs, butter, half and half, 1 cup fontina cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Stir in shrimp and pasta. Transfer to buttered 2 qt casserole dish. Lay the tomato slices over the mixture and top with remaining cheese.
Bake, uncovered, 40-45 minutes at 375 degrees.
