When you're in the mood for a tasty but simple dish, this no-cook penne pasta with shrimp comes to the rescue - it's a recipe so effortless, the flavorsome sauce will be ready even before your pasta is done. Save yourself a clean-up by whisking up olive oil, lemon juice, and a mix of spices in your serving bowl, and then stirring in canned crushed tomatoes in puree.

Close to the time when your penne pasta is perfectly cooked to al dente, the shrimp joins the party in the pot. The goal is to have the shrimp turn a delightful pink without being overcooked. Once the pasta and shrimp are drained, a spoonful toss with the prepared sauce is all it needs to be table-ready. If desired, the sauce can be loosened a bit with pasta cooking water, but this is an optional step.

You'll find this an excellent meal choice throughout the year, but especially in the hot weather when you’d rather minimize your time at the stove. Additionally, the recipe relies on canned tomatoes, lending the dish a year-round appeal. Pay attention to the quality of your canned tomatoes – for an ideally thick and rich sauce, crushed tomatoes in puree are the way to go. While great whole peeled tomatoes are typically packed in a thinner juice not ideal for this recipe.

This is also a great opportunity to use a high-quality pasta. And when selecting a beverage to accompany this flavorful dish– with its exciting spice interplay, strong cilantro, and tangy tomatoes - a simple Italian white wine, such as a Pinot Grigio, can make for a perfect match.

Here are the ingredients needed to serve 4 with this delightful penne dish:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons each of paprika and ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon each of ground ginger and dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
• 3/4 pound penne rigate
• 1 pound medium shrimps, shelled

In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice with the paprika, cumin, ginger, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and cilantro. Cook the penne rigate in a large pot of boiling, salted water until almost done, about 12 minutes. Then, add the shrimp and cook until both the shrimp and pasta are just done, about 1 minute longer. Drain. Toss with the tomato sauce.

This recipe, initially featured in Food & Wine’s 1996 cookbook, Quick From Scratch Pasta, authored in part by Mrigaa Sethi, holds its originality and authenticity in its simplicity.