1-First Step: Boil penne pasta in salted water until al dente. Use 1 tablespoon kosher salt in the water, then drain while reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. The reserved water helps you loosen the sauce later.

2-Second Step: Toss shrimp with 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Make sure every shrimp piece looks evenly coated. Let it sit while the pasta finishes if you have time, but you can cook right away too.

3-Third Step: In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté shrimp in 1 tablespoon butter until golden on both sides. Cook until the shrimp is just done, then remove shrimp to a plate so it does not overcook.

4-Fourth Step: Add 1 cup heavy cream to the skillet. Bring the cream to a gentle boil while scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Those browned bits are where a lot of the deep flavor comes from.

5-Final Step: Reduce heat to low heat and stir in the 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan until melted. Add cooked pasta and return shrimp to the skillet, then toss until everything is coated. Thin the sauce with the reserved pasta water if needed, and adjust salt to taste before serving.